Science City Kolkata Review

 Have fun with Science

My Ratings: 5/5

I am residing in West Bengal for almost five years and been to Kolkata many times. But recently when I visited Kolkata with my mother, wife and brother; I decided to visit Science City just to pass few hours but was amazed to see the place and spent almost 5 hours without a single boring moment. So, I thought of discussing this amazing place with you all.

Location and Reachability

The science city is located at JBS Haldane Avenue at the crossing of EM Bypass and Park Circus Road (nearby landmark is Ruby Hospital). There are easily available public transport- taxis as well as buses- to this location.

The centre is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., every day of the year except Holi. You can get further information on its website www.sciencecitykolkata.org.in.

The Science City

Science City is the largest science centre in the sub-continent under National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture and is started in 1^stJuly 1997. It consists of two buildings - the Science Centre and the Convention Centre.

The Science Centre has Space Odyssey, Dynamotion Hall, Evolution Theme Park, Maritime Centre and a Science Park. The convention centre has a theatre, mini auditorium and a seminar building.

The Space Odyssey has Film Theatre, Time Machine, Mirror Magic, 3-D Theatre and exhibitions related to space science, motion, electricity and virtual reality. The Dynamotion Hall has a Butterfly Corner, Aquaria, robotic insects and lots of interactive exhibits on science & technology.

Places of attraction

Some of the major sections of science city are as follows:

1. Dynamotion Hall- It is practical experience of science theories like wave motion, sound waves, gravity etc that you have mugged up in your younger age. There are lots of interactive exhibits on science & technology for both education and entertainment of the visitors.

2. Power of Ten- An innovative exhibit that tries to explain the power of ten with live examples in the form of photographs. It is must to experience how a zero can change the size of universe.

3. Aquarium- It is just like any other aquarium but good to see it in science city.

4. Butterfly Enclave- I have noticed this type of enclave for the first time in my life where you can observe live butterflies in real-like surrounding.

5. Illusions- It is an interactive exhibit displaying the effects of motion and placement on our visual perception.

6. Mirror magic- You might have seen many mirror magic in local fair but it is an upgraded and modified version of all that. It is really fun to see what a simple mirror and its reflection power can do for our entertainment. There is a mirror maze also which is quite interesting.

7. Time machine- It is basically a machine which will make you travel in time but actually it is not a time travelling but a synchronisation between motion and visuals. It is a fully closed chamber controlled by hydraulic motion control system with a screen in front and provides virtual experience of space flight or journey into unknown world. It is not recommended for heart patients and people suffering from dizziness etc.

8. 3D Vision Theatre- It is a small theatre with limited seating capacity of almost 30 people. It shows a 3D film of 15mins duration. But I assure you that I have seen some of the best 3D effects at the most affordable price. There is a long queue on holidays and weekends so be prepared to wait for around 1hour to get in.

9. Evolution Theme Park- It is a theme park depicting the evolution of animals especially the extinct species. I have seen many models of dinosaurs in many museums but here was unique with moving limbs and roaring sound effects. It is really fun to move through it in dim light with real like effects.

10. Science Park- It is an open-air park with many interactive exhibits on science. It comprises Caterpillar Ride, Gravity Coaster, Musical Fountain, Road Train, Cable Cars, Monorail Cycle, butterfly nursery and many other exhibits on physical and life sciences. It also has a beautiful garden maze.

11. Earth Exploration Hall- It is an exhibition of earth housed in two-storied building, one floor depicting northern hemisphere and the other one depicting southern hemisphere. Important features like geography; lands & people of both hemispheres are displayed using attractive visuals, interactive multimedia, video walls, and panoramic videos etc.

12. Space Theatre- It is like any other theatre that shows movies related to some or other aspect of science. It is a time consuming activity so you can even avoid it.

Facilities

1. Filtered drinking water is available inside the premises.

2. There are south & north Indian restaurants where you can have lunch. The prices are on bit higher side considering the quality.

3. There are few fast food kiosks where you can have tea, coffee, cold drinks, patties etc.

4. Toilets are located in science centre and Evolution Park.

Ticket Rates & concessions

1. Entry fee- Rs.20 per person.

2. Space Theatre- Rs.50 per person

3. Evolution Park- Rs.10 per person

4. Time Machine- Rs.10 per person

5. 3D Theatre- Rs.20 per person

6. Monorail- Rs.10 per person

7. Road Train- Rs.10 per person

8. Cable Car- Rs.25 per person

9. Caterpillar- Rs.5 per person

10. Gravity Coaster- Rs.25 per person

11. Concessions for organised group (20 members or more)- Entry fee, Cable car ticket and Space Theatre is Rs.20, Rs.20 and Rs.40 respectively per person

12. Concessions for organised school group- Entry fee, space theatre, 3D theatre and cable car is Rs.10, Rs.20, Rs.10 and Rs.15 respectively per person.

13. Concession for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families- Entry fee is Rs.10 per person.

Things not to be missed

1. If you have never experienced cable car journey, it’s the right place to do so. Enter the science city complex using rope way near the main entrance.

2. Click photos in mirror magic area where you will get innovative pictures.

3. Don’t miss the 3D show there.

4. Have a look on beautiful maze garden in Science Park. It looks best from the cable car.

5. Just sit outside the evolution park and enjoy the musical fountain.

Recommendations

This amazing place is very well conceptualised and created that it takes at least 5-7 hours to be completely satisfied by it attractions and offerings. It is recommended for people of all age groups especially children, to explore the world of science and technology in a better and interactive way.

Science city is one place where you will love the science happening around you and you will surely love to get lost in cycle of evolution with roaring dinosaurs, mammoths, and many other Jurassic life size creatures with moving limbs. And the best part is that you can enjoy the whole journey in less than Rs.200 per head.So place it at the top when you are in Kolkata next time.

Nokia X7 Review

 Half-hearted attempt of Nokia

My ratings: 2/5
 
I am back with another mobile review, or I should say another Nokia mobile review. Just for record, this is my seventh mobile review, and fourth Nokia mobile review. I am using this mobile for last few

days, so thought of sharing my views on it.

Talking about basic features, it is having 8MP camera with dual LED flash , 8GB storage capacity using microSD card (expandable up to 32GB), GPS, Wi-Fi & 680MHz ARM 11 processor.

Design    

At first sight, it looks attractive with large 4in screen and somewhat unique angular looks with four grills on ea ch corner . It seems as these grills house speakers in it but actually only bottom two have speakers; other two are just for symmetry purpose. Handset feels solid with 146gms weight and 11.9mm maximum thickness.


The top of the phone has 3.5mm headset jack, microUSB port and ON/OFF switch. Interestingly, there is no usual Nokia specific charger slot. Nokia has shifted to USB charging option.

The backside of the phone is metallic and curved that looks attractive and durable. It gives the feel of premium handset. I have seen few high ends phones from Samsung equipped with plastic cover that is total turn-off.

There are four side buttons/ slots that housed in this curvy back plate. On the left are slots for memory card and SIM card . These two are very tricky to open but easy. You have to press the slots to one side to open it. The slot covers are not attached to the frame and came out with a holder for SIM and memory card. I didn’t like this design, as it seems that those parts can be damaged or lost very easily.

The other side has camera and volume button . These buttons are in level with the frame and it is hard to feel those buttons. You may take time to get used to these types of designs.

On the front there is 4in huge AMOLED screen with resolution of 360x640 pixels and only one Menu/ Home button in middle at the bottom. The screen glass is anti-scratch gorilla glass. There is no front camera in this mobile.

Performance

The phone is equipped with 680MHz processor but it nowhere lags behind 1GHz processor phones. Actually Symbian is designed in a way that it doesn’t need high-speed processor. It offers great responsiveness to touch input . The sweep between three homescreens is very smooth that you will hardly notice any delay.

The phonebook is just like the old Nokia phones although they have added few details to it. There is no direct linkage to social networks . You have to manually connect each contact individually to social network, so you can imagine if you have a large contact list.

The call quality and signal reception is forte of Nokia and it goes well in this phone also. While communicating over phone, just be aware to keep the touch screen portion of the phone away from the cheek and ears. The touchscreen is so sensitive that even earlobe can disconnect your call or put you on hold.

The onscreen QWERTY keypad is bit cramped unlike phones from other brands. You may take time to get used to it. There is option of switching keyboard to alphanumeric mode also.

The 8MP camera is ok but doesn’t have the capabilities of Nokia N8 . It can record videos at 720p resolution. And yes, there is no front camera and I am surprised that in this 3G world why they have not given that option.

The USP of this phone is the amazing video playback capability . It is just a pleasure to watch videos on this 4in AMOLED screen.

Sound quality is good , courtesy to its two speakers. But personally I don’t feel the clarity in the sound when I compare its sound to Nokia N8.

There is 350MB internal storage and Nokia provides 8GB memory card with this phone. It is having 32GB memory capability. Internal storage is always a better choice when comparing to external storage.

There are all the major connectivity options in this phone. It even provides USB-on-the-go feature but there is no cable provided for that (unlike Nokia N8) and you to purchase it. The web browser is just ok but have all the basic features. I personally prefer Opera mini browser for my browsing need.

The 1300mAh battery lasts for two days with normal usage. The battery is covered under non-removable metal plate and it is not user accessible. It is not a problem unless your phone hangs and in that case you have to hard reset the phone, which is not a preferable option.

The phone is currently running on Symbian Anna but the latest version- Symbian Belle is about to launch in a month time with many improvements.

Symbian vs. Android

This is the most talked about topic whenever we talk of Nokia phones. As per my opinion both the OS has its own limitations and advantages. I will try to briefly compare both the OS.

1. Symbian has better battery performance when compared to Android .
2. Android always scores far ahead when we talk of Apps , but the bigger question is how many of us regularly use apps.
3. Symbian is user friendly OS and customizable.
4. Symbian is still using old school of menu layouts- the style that was used in first Nokia mobile. It is expected that they are revamping the whole look in the yet to be launched ‘Belle’ version (already in use in newly launched mobiles).
5. Symbian updates are more inclined towards performance boost unlike Androids that is loaded with useless apps.
6. Android is for complicated users with lot many options. Symbian is best for those who use mobiles for calling and browsing.
7. Default web browser of Symbian is comparatively slow but there is always an option of Opera or other third part browsers that work better.
8. Symbian provides lifetime free map support unlike most Android phones that provide limited accessibility.

Nokia X7 vs. Nokia N8    

This comparison is for those who are inclined towards Nokia phones but unable to decide the model. The closest competition for X7 is N8 so am pointing out the major difference between these models.

1. X7 has 4in screen as compared to 3.5in of N8 .
2. The standby time of X7 is better than N8, due to its higher capacity battery- 1300mAh compared to 1200mAh of N8.
3. N8 has 12MP camera with Xenon flash, whereas X7 has 8MP fixed-focus camera with twin-LED flash.
4. N8 has 16GB internal storage ; an X7 comes with 8GB microSD card for storage.
5. There is no HDMI support in X7 when compared to N8.
6. N8 comes with all the necessary cables.

Must have Apps    

1. Swype - It enables you to write mails and messages in sweep steps.
2. Sleeping screen - A unique screen saver option where you can have any picture as screen saver in pixilated form.
3. fMobi - An interesting app to satisfy your FaceBook requirements.
4. Opera Mini - It is must for faster and cheaper web browsing.

Pros

1. Large and awesome display with good video playback
2. Overall hardware and design
3. Battery standby time
4. Lifetime free Nokia maps & music support

Cons

1. No front camera
2. No built in storage
3. Relatively low screen resolution
4. Sluggish default web browser
5. Fixed focus camera
6. No HDMI support
7. No physical unlocking button

Recommendations

This is the trickiest part of this review to write recommendation for this phone. I just can’t ignore the existence of Nokia N8 in the market. And considering N8, I will never recommend this phone . The phone is priced in the range of Rs.20k and N8 is priced at Rs.22k.

There is only one positive aspect and that is its 4in screen. You can go for this phone if you are fan of large screen else just blindly chose Nokia N8 (if you really want to own a Symbian-based Nokia) .

Apple iPod 2GB

The Most Affordable Apple

My ratings: 4/5

Apple- the fruit always fascinated me since my childhood. My early summers were spent in mango orchids and winters in guava orchids. Apple was a fruit that was always costlier than other fruits (in northern area). I have grown up but the fascination still remains- not to the fruit but to the gadget.

I was planning to have an Apple product since long time but the exorbitant pricing stopped me. I needed something portable for listening music while I am walking or am in gym. The need was to purchase a portable MP3 player and what is better than Apple iPod Shuffle 2GB - with its cute little size and Apple branding.

Looks & Design - It is a square aluminum case that comes in array of bright colors (silver, orange, blue, pink, and green). I choose blue color to match the color of my N8.


It has got a white navigation circular pad to adjust the volume and skip tracks . In the middle of the circle sits a Pause/Play button. It’s generally easy to press these buttons without looking. It looks rock solid and durable with its scratch-free aluminum finish . It is having a clip on the back , which is sturdy enough to cling even to thin layers of clothing.

It has got a Voice Over button on the top of it, between the headphone jack and On/Off switch. This feature announces the names of playlists, tracks, and artists, as well as the battery status. Just press this button to hear the name of the track and artist you’re listening to, and press and hold it to hear the names of various playlists loaded on it. Press the button twice to hear the battery status.

It has 2 Gigabytes of storage capacity, but actually provides 1.88GB of usable space, with 1.83GB initially available for audio content .

It charges through its own USB cable that connects through the 3.5mm headphone jack and has a switch letting users turn the device off, or play playlists in order or in Shuffle mode. I can even charge it from my N8 thatz a big plus for me. It is rated for 15hrs music playback .

Music - The iPod is inclusive of classic white headphone with 3.5mm jack . The quality of music is awesome and is better than any other MP3 player of this range in the market. It does not have Bluetooth , so wireless headphones aren’t an option.

Like all Apple products, music can be transferred only via iTunes that can be downloaded free from the Apple website.

Pricing - The MRP of Apple iPod Shuffle 2GB is Rs.3200. I purchased it from infibeam.com at Rs.3068. You may get it from stores at prices varying from 2.8-3k, depending on your bargaining skills.

Pros
1. Best music quality in this price range
2. Lightweight design with sturdy clip
3. Awesome looks with attractive colors
4. Long battery life
5. Option of storing and playing multiple playlists
6. Cutest MP3 player in the market

Cons
1. Cannot simultaneously recharge and play music , as there is common port for headphone and USB cable
2. Total dependency on PC as iTunes is the only way to transfer music
3. No Bluetooth

Final Words - The iPod shuffle is an affordable MP3 player, and one of the smallest music players in the market. If you are planning to purchase a player in the range 2-2.5k, then better go for iPod Shuffle as it will give a boost to your ego (for those who are Apple freaks). It is highly recommended for people who don’t mind inability to choose a particular song , especially gym-goers, who wouldn’t want to look at their MP3 players while working. It is well-designed, easy to use, and in a word, a steal at this price.

An Apple a day keeps the enviers away.

Nokia E5 Review

Cheapest Business Phone in India

My Rating- 3/5

The QWERTY keypads always fascinate me. I am using Motorola EX115 for almost a year and wanted to replace it so am in search of another mobile that can satisfy my needs. Last week I got first hand experience of Nokia E5. Actually my cousin is using it so I went deep in details about its performance. So I am sharing my views on it.

Design

It is a QWERTY phone without touchscreen, having dimensions of 115 x 58.9 x 12.8 mm and weighs 126 g. The body is mix of plastic and metal. The metallic battery cover looks cool and gives it a feel of expensive phones. It is having 2.36-inch display with resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and 256K colors.

The phone is having dedicated keys for home, mailing and flashlight. The ‘*’ and ‘#’ keys are oddly placed adjacent to ‘3’ & ‘6’.

Hardware/ Software

It is backed with 600MHz processor, 256MB of RAM and 250MB of internal storage that can be expanded to 32GB. It uses Symbian v9.3 operating system (OS) and the S60 v3.2 user interface (UI).

Nokia E5 comes with premium QuickOffice premium suite that enables you to view, create or edit documents (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) on the go.  It also comes preinstalled with Adobe Reader to view PDF files.

Audio/ Video

It’s media player can playback MP4, H.264, H.263 and WMV videos and MP3, WMA, WAV and eAAC audio files. The screen is very small so you can’t expect great experience while watching videos. Audio playback is among the best in business phones with sound clarity and loudness. Music player is equipped with all the basic features common to other mobiles.

Messaging/ Mails

The keypad is well suited for typing long mails or messages. You can configure maximum 10 mail accounts on E5 and it also supports Microsoft Exchange.

Camera

It is equipped with 5MP camera with LED flash and 3x digital zoom. The image quality is just average. I have used N73 with 3.2MP camera and this phone camera is nowhere better than my N73 despite 5MP resolution. The flash works well in low light. It can record videos at 15fps.

Battery

It is powered with 1200mAh battery with rated 7hrs talk time and 600hrs standby time. Nokia is no doubt a leader in battery backups and this phone also delivers the best. You can easily get a backup of 2-3 days with normal usage of phone.

Connectivity

It provides 3G, GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. This phone supports Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveler for faster Push Mail notifications.

Internet

It comes with default browser with flash support that delivers a faster and user-friendly browsing experience. Keyboard shortcuts and the D-Pad can be used to zoom in and out web pages. You can download Opera Mini on your mobile to get better, faster, cheaper and tabbed browsing experience.

Pros

1. Very good build quality and slim design

2. GPS, Wi-Fi & 3G support

3. Excellent sound and call quality

4. Good battery backup

5. Easy mail setup and pretty decent net speed, even on 2G

6. Easy to type QWERTY keypad with smooth keys

7. Multitasking capability

8. Office documents viewing and editing facility

Cons

1. Outdated Symbian OS (when compared to latest Symbian Belle) with no updates.

2. Limited number of applications

3. Average screen with low resolution

4. Average camera despite 5MP

Price

The phone is available in the range of Rs.9500. It is termed as the cheapest business mobile phone.

Conclusion

I have tried to mention all the possible pros and cons of this phone. If you are in search of a business phone or planning to buy Blackberry Curve 8520 (available in the range of 9k), you can think about this. You will get better processor, better camera and better battery backup in this phone as compared to Blackberry and you don’t even have to pay extra bucks to access RIM services.

The 600MHz processor is an added advantage of this phone which lets you to do easier and faster multitasking. You can easily browse multiple pages with music player running in the background.

It is quite different from the QWERTY phones market and has its own place- looks or features. It is highly recommended for Nokia lovers who are not comfortable with touchscreen and give a damn about the Android.

Those who want a phone for leisure, enjoyment, all new apps, gaming etc. then this phone is not for you.

The Dirty Picture Music Review

Ishq Sufiyana... Ooh La La.....

 My ratings- 4/5

The Dirty Picture is a biopic movie based on southern actress ‘Silk Smitha’, directed by Milan Luthria and produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor. As Silk Smitha was a top actress in 1980s so the theme of the movie and music is around that period. I was waiting for the release of music of this movie since the time of first ‘Ooh La La’ teaser.

The movie has total six songs, all composed by the great Vishal-Shekar duo. The music will remind you of old times, though not a exact replica. All the songs are written by Rajat Aroraa. There are four original songs, one remix, and one female version.

Ooh La La- The album opens with this oomph and energetic song. It is sung by the great disco musician Bappi Lahiri and the sweet singer Shreya Ghoshal. It is pictured on Vidya Balan and Naseeruddin Shah in a very bold and sexy way. The singer duo justified the video of the song. I have noticed that it is the first time that Shreya has sung this type of song but it’s just awesome. There is not much in the lyrics (except that Ooh La La), just repetitive phrases but anyhow it is the heart of this movie.

There is one dhol remix version of this song also, remixed by DJ A-Myth. The original song is much better than the remix.


Haaye! tune hi barsaat karayi
Kya kare ye yovan bechara
Bechara. Bechara.
Ooh la la ooh la la
Ooh la la ooh la la
Tu Hai Meri Fantasy

My rating for this song- 4/5

Ishq Sufiyana- It is becoming a routine to include one or two Sufi songs in all movies nowadays. This Sufi song is sung by a new singer Kamal Khan who was a contestant in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2010. If Ooh La La is heart of this movie, this one is the soul. It is beautifully pictured on Emran Hashmi and Vidya Balan with background dancers singing in Sufi style. The lyrics fulfill all the criteria of a Sufi song.

There is one female version also of this song which is sung by Sunidhi Chauhan.

Mere dil ko khuda se juda kar de
Yun bas tu mujhko fanaa kar de
Mera haal tu, meri chaal tu
Bas kar aashiqana
Tere waaste mera Ishq Sufiyana

My ratings for this song- 4.5/5

Honeymoon ki raat- This song is sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, in disco style of the class of Bappi Lahiri. This is just an average song with average lyrics.

Khatre ka darr na kar
Har hadh ko todh de
Zara saa aage badh
Tu na mujhse aise lad
Tu sab mujh pe chhod de

My ratings for this song- 3/5

Twinkle twinkle- It is sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Rana Mazumder in very heavy voice. It is very naughty song with naughty lyrics. Simply said, it is the adult version of school poems you might have learned in your childhood. It’s time to have fun and relive those memories in very naughty voice of Shreya Ghoshal.

Twinkle Twinkle main litle little Star bann gayi
Jack n Jill ko bhi dekho mere naam ki chadh gayi
Humpty ghayal hua, Dumpty pagal hua
Johnny ka papa bhi mujh par kayal hua

My ratings for the song- 4/5

My pick of the album: Ooh La La & Ishq Sufiyana

I am sure that you will love this album. Waiting for your comments and feedback.

Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTSi Review

 10 yrs on road and successfully running

My Ratings- 4/5

This is my first attempt for writing review of a vehicle. I am not a moto-expert so may not be able to satisfy your requirements from a review. As always, feedbacks and scope for improvements are always welcome.

I purchased Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTSi in July 2010 and there was no dilemma while making decisions. There were very few bikes in the market in 150cc category. Few available were CBZ Extreme (I didn’t like the looks at all), Hunk (there were all the wrong reviews and it is termed as a failure) and Unicorn (I don’t want to take risk as it was newly launched). 

For information, DTSi is Digital Twin Spark Ignition, and is patented Bajaj Auto technology. Simply said, it uses two spark plugs (in place of one) per engine cylinder. Two spark plugs at either end of combustion chamber help in faster and better combustion.


Origin

If you remember the launch of Hero Honda CBZ in year 2000 you will be aware that it became a huge success because of its awesome looks and power. Bajaj launched Pulsar very next year in competition with CBZ. Initially it didn’t get much response as it was macho looking but gradually it picked up the market. With time both Hero Honda and Bajaj modified CBZ and Pulsar, but the public neglected the changes in CBZ whereas Pulsar is still among the most-loved bike in India.

Pulsar was launched on November 24, 2001 and till date 5 upgrades (UG I, II, III, IV & 4.5) have been released for Pulsar 150- the latest in 2010.

Specifications

Type: 4-stroke, DTSi, Single cylinder, Air-cooled
Displacement: 149.01cc
Maximum Power: 15.06 HP @ 9000 RPM
Maximal Torque: 12.5 N-m @ 6500 RPM
Gear Box: 5 Speed
Wheel Base: 1320mm
Wheels: 17? Alloy wheels
Brakes: 240mm disc (front), 130mm drum (rear)
Fuel Capacity: 15L (with 2L reserve)
Dimensions: 1990mm (L), 1035mm (H), 750mm (W)
Weight: 130kgs

Looks & Design

The looks of the bike are no doubt among the best in this range. It has some uniqueness that makes it different from the mass. The most noticeable feature of this bike is its big tank with aerodynamic flaps that give a feeling of big bike. There is a very attractive 3-dimensional Pulsar logo on fuel tank that adds value to the bike. The looks are razor sharp, whether you notice it from front or rear.

It has got digital speedometer, that displays the speed, fuel status, battery indicator, distance traveled etc. There is a digital trip meter that can record data of two trips. There is side stand warning light & low fuel warning light.

The Bajaj had introduced automatic turn-off indicators in latest version of pulsar. It is very reliable and work well in sharp turning. It has got twin LED lamp at the rear that is quite sporty looking.

The electric supply is full 12V DC that gives better starting and uniform illumination at all speeds and even at stand still.

It is available in four beautiful colors- Midnight Black, Plasma Blue, Cocktail Wine Red and Misty Grey Silver.

Performance

This bike is a combination of power, style and mileage. The bike runs well at higher speed and has good grip on road. You will not get the pleasure of Enfield by riding it but still it will be a good experience. When I am on highways, 80kms is normal speed and you will not even feel it if you don’t look at speedometer.

The riding posture is very comfortable. You will not feel backache even if you ride long distance. The rear suspensions are not so effective and you will feel even small breakers and humps. Both the disc and drum brakes are very effective.

I used to drive Bajaj Caliber before this bike and compare to that I have felt that the engine of pulsar of very noisy. In my old bike, there was almost no sound in neutral condition, but in pulsar it is comparatively very noisy. But the engine sound is almost constant at all speed, and once it is running at higher speed you only feel the thrill.

Gear shifting is a major problem in this bike. Suppose you are driving at higher speed at fifth gear and shift the gear to forth position, then you will hear a prominent sound and sometime the shift is not very smooth. So normally you have to reduce the speed and then shift the gear, and then again increase the speed.

The bike is very fuel efficient-much more than I expected. I am easily getting a mileage of around 55kmpl. But I am driving in remote area so the actual mileage may differ in heavy traffic. Still you may easily get around 47-50kmpl.

Lovable features

1. Good mileage considering the high power.
2. Good grip on road and good control.
3. Looks and design.
4. Good and comfortable riding posture.
5. Comparatively good resale value.
6. Side-stand warning indicator.
7. Full black body.
8. Headlight and tail light gets on with ignition. There is no need to start bike.

Needs improvement

1. Gear shifting- It is not as smooth as used to be in other bikes. But once you are used to it, it will not be a problem for you.
2. Noisy engine compared to other bikes in this category.

Bajaj Service

The bike comes with three free services, to be completed with in six months. After that you can opt for AMC at discount rates. Personally I feel that the routine service is just eyewash and there is not much done by them. They don’t even follow the instructions written on the back of free service receipts. It’s more than a year and I have serviced my bike seven times and they never have checked air pressure, leave aside other things.

Once a small sensor (spare part) was missed somewhere and the service center make me waited for many days. Ultimately I have to make online complaint at their customer center and then they took urgent action.

Finally

Leave aside all the petty service issues (these issues may vary from center to center), this bike is just the perfect one with proof of 10 years on road. There is no other bike in this category running successfully for such a long time.

If you want to own a bike in 150cc category, just go ahead. The on-road price of the bike is in the range of Rs.72k. Check out your nearest store for exact prices.

Bade Acche Lagte Hain

 Hate--> Marriage--> Love

My Rating- 3/5

I do watch television and am very fond of talent hunt shows, but this is one of the few daily soap that is able to keep me interested. There are certain aspects of this serial that I really love so thought of sharing it all with you.

The Serial

The serial portrays the story of middle-aged couple, played by Ram Kapoor & Sakshi Tanwar. It is directed by Partho Mitra and Muzammil Desai and is produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor (Balaji Telefilms Ltd.).

This TV show holds the record of longest ever title by an Indian Television Show- ’Bade Acche Laggte Hai... Yeh Dharti,Yeh Nadiya,Yeh Rainna Aur Tum...’



Story

If I have to explain the story in one line, I would say that it is the story of two older people falling in love, that too after marriage.

The main male lead is a 40 plus years old entrepreneur. He is leading businessman of India who handles the business after his father’s death. He lives with his stepmother and stepbrothers and finds happiness in making his family happy. Though his family doesn’t care for him and uses him for his money.

The main female lead is a 30+ very mature lady and takes tuitions to support her family. She is a happy-go-lucky woman who is very comfortable on her own.

Both of them bumped into each other through a minor car accident that hurts their ego more then the vehicle. The misunderstandings, miscommunications and certain other factors resulted into their marriage. This story mainly portrays the relation between these two main leads.

Casts and performances

Ram Kapoor plays the role of main male protagonist (Ram Kapoor). He is wonderful actor and I don’t think anybody else can justify this role better than him. He acts naturally as a leading businessman.

Sakshi Tanwar as Priya Sharma/ Kapoor (The main female protagonist) is the best part of this serial. I have not seen him before but have read that she is a very senior actress. Her mannerism and characterization is quite impressive. Whenever she is on screen she stole all of it with her profound presence.

Prithvi as Sudhir Sharma (Priya’s father) plays the role of very loving, caring and understanding father. The way of his talking is very sweet and is really impressive.

Renuka Israni as Shipra Sharma (Priya’s mother) is very beauty-conscious, always calls herself as Ex-Bhubaneswar and runs a boutique. She considers money as the top priority and can easily be impressed by costly gifts, status, power etc. She seems to be overacting sometime otherwise she justify her role.

Mohit Malhotra of Splitsvilla fame as Karthik Sharma (Priya’s brother) portrays a role of caring younger brother of Priya. I don’t like the way he delivers his dialogue. His acting (sometime seems that he is still on Splitsvilla) clearly signifies that he will remain a soap opera actor.

Chahat Khanna as Ayesha Sharma (Priya’s sister) is the most beautiful character in this serial and is really delight to watch her. She looks like a model (playing the role of an aspiring model in the serial) and just an ok actress. She has just a side role so there is nothing much for her.

Sumona Chakravarty as Natasha Kapoor (Ram’s stepsister) is a fashion designer and has many boyfriends. She is shown as a very arrogant spoilt rich brat and psycho. I think even a novice can perform her role better.

There are many more interesting characters like Jai Kalra (Ram’s friend), Tarana Kapoor (Wife of Ram’s friend), Eva Grover (Ram’s stepmother), Deepak Qazir etc.

Likes

1. Performance of Sakshi Tanwar
2. Looks of Chahat Khanna
3. Chemistry of Ram Kapoor & Sakshi Tanwar

Dislikes

1. Overacting of few characters
2. Some scenes portraying typical saas-bahu relation
3. On air timing (10:30pm)

Telecast

The program telecasts from Monday to Thursday at 10:30PM on Sony Entertainment Television.

My viewpoint

I love to watch it only because of Sakshi Tanwar’s acting. She is just wonderful. Her every expression and activity will definitely bring smiles to your faces. Also, the chemistry between Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar is unique that I haven’t seen before. They are married but they don’t love each other. So this story is how they will find love in their relationship. Do watch it once to feel their unique lovestory. And please ignore the typical saas-bahu scenes, as these are inherent in Ekta Kapoor’s serials.

Sony VAIO VPCYB15AG

DEADLY looks with OK performance

My Ratings- 3/5 

This is my first review of a computer. I am having laptop computer for my personal use but netbook fascinated me since the time of its release. There was not much use of it but my gadget freaky behavior was continuously forcing me to own a netbook. After much R&D, online market research and much more, I decided to purchase one.

 

  

Initial Dilemma

Before purchasing, I shortlisted few brands as per the price and specifications. I had to choose between Dell, HP and Acer with in the price tag of around Rs.17000. I left the choice of exact model on my impulse. When I went to a multibrand store, there was much more in display. 

When I think of netbook, it was always a 10.1in screen without an optical drive. But while experiencing it for the first time in that store, I felt that 10.1in is very small for me (I am using 15in screen laptop). I used to wear spectacles with high power so it was bit difficult for me to concentrate on that tiny screen. So I rejected that screen size, the next available was 11.6in screen. There
were three brands in display in that screen size- HP, Dell and Sony. The features were almost same except few- HP was having Windows 7 HB and higher battery backup. Leave aside features; my impulse was bowled over by the looks of Sony Vaio. I should tell you that owning a Sony Vaio was always my desire so it was good chance to satisfy that.

I wanted a white netbook but had to satisfy with silver color, as there was no white color option in that model.

  

 History of netbook

Let me introduce you in brief about the history of netbook. Netbook computers are invented to focus on web-based needs and that’s why got this name. It is targeted for people who are on continuous move or wanted a computer for basic purpose. It came in market in second half of 2007 with the launch of ASUS EEE PC by Asus.

It made a place in market because of small size & portability, inexpensiveness, making it ideal for business people, or for anyone who needs to stay connected all times.

  

Specifications

OS: Windows 7 Starter 32-bit

Architecture: AMD Dual-core Processor E350 (1.6GHz) with 1MB L2 Cache

Main Memory: 2GB DDR3 RAM (upgradeable to 4GB)

Storage: 320GB SATA (5400rpm)

Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6310

Display: 11.6in wide (Resolution- 1366x768) TFT color display (VAIO Display, LED backlight)

Interface: USB 2.0 (3 ports), RJ-45 LAN, VGA, HDMI, Memory stick Duo, SD memory card, WLAN 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, Ethernet, Headphone, Microphone

Webcam: 0.3MP (Resolution- 640 x 480)

Audio: Intel High Definition Audio chip, internal stereo speakers

Optical drive: Not available

Keyboard: Isolation keyboard (standard)

Size: 290 x 25-31.5 x 202.8 mm

Weight: 1.46 kg (including the supplied battery) 

Battery: 6-cell

  

Looks and design

It has got killer looks like all other Sony Vaio products. It has tapered design with unique-shaped corners (neither round nor sharp). The other end of netbook where the hinges are located is beautifully made in cylindrical form. On one end of this cylinder, there is charging socket; on other end there is a big ‘Power On’ button. Power button emits green light all the time that look awesome.

On top right corner above the keyboard is an ‘ASSIST’ button, specific to Vaio care. The touchpad is very large, smooth and comfortable to use. It supports multi gestures such as pinch-to-zoom. The palm rest is sufficient enough and it is made in mesh type shape so as to make it non-slippery.

The keyboard is isolation type (all keys are individual). It has 83-keys keyboard with few problems like comparatively small right ‘Shift’ key that confuse sometimes.

The lid is made up of durable plastic with matte finishso there are no problems like finger marks or smudges. There is large ‘VAIO’ written in trademarked style on the lid.

The netbook is available in three colors- pink, silver and green. Accordingly the last letter in model name changes with color- YBC15AG/S or G or P.

  

Performance

This netbook is powered with AMD dual-core processor with 2GB RAM, and I did not feel it superior or inferior to Intel. It is as if you are working on Intel. There is no additional boost in performance. You can easily do multitasking like listening music and web browsing. I had even tried opening 7-8 WebPages and the performance was ok.

The supplied OS is Windows7 starter edition. Windows7 SE comes with limited functionality like you can’t change wallpapers, but there are many applications available on internet that can easily do this job. I have noticed that boot up is not very quick as I expected. It may be because of OS or processor that I am not sure about.

It is loaded with AMD Radeon graphics card (with VISION technology) that promised a better performance regarding video and graphics. You can easily play HD videos but the lower resolution (compared to laptops) may not give you the real HD feel.

There is no extra copy of Windows is given in CD/ DVD format other than the installed one (this is normal nowadays). It is saved in rescue drive of netbook. By default there is no hard disk partition but you can easily do that by going through ‘help’.

The 6-celled battery provided with this netbook gives backup of almost 4 hours. I have used it mainly for web browsing and it easily achieved the promised backup time. Considering the netbook, the backup is at lower side, as competitive netbooks are promising 7-8hrs backup time.

  

Multimedia & connectivity

The stereo speakers of netbook are loaded with Intel High Definition Audio chip to deliver clear and louder output, which is quite impressive. The speakers are located at bottom of netbook near the corners.

When 2MP Webcam is normal nowadays, it has only 0.3MP so you can’t expect good image quality.

There are three USB 2.0 ports (one on left, two on right). The HDMI port enables you to watch HD movies on large screen by connecting it to your TV (most of the TV are provided with HDMI port). There are other standard features like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, multi-card reader, Ethernet, and VGA etc.

Battery and other features

  

Bundled softwares/ tools

There are many utility softwares and tools preloadedin the netbook. I am giving a list of few-selected one.

1. Media Gallery- Provides easy and fun way to access photos, videos and music files.

2. PMB Vaio edition- It lets us organize, create and share photos and videos.

3. VAIO Gate- To select and run applications by clicking on large icons.

4. ASIST button- Calls up Vaio care that automatically optimizes, fixes and troubleshoots various problems.

5. MS Office 2010 starter edition- It includes reduced functionality versions of Word and Excel with advertisement and does not include PowerPoint and Outlook.

6. McAfee anti-virus with 30-days trial

7. Magic-I visual effects- It enables photo clicking and video chatting with fun frames and Avatar function.

  

Pros

1. Perfect screen size, considering portability and usability.

2. Isolation keyboard provides comfortable typing.

3. ASIST feature

4. Excellent finish and build quality

5. Pre-installed Office starter edition

6. ’Vaio’ pouch cover included with the supply

7. Graphics card.

  

Cons

1. Only 0.3MP Webcam

2. No USB 3.0 port, which is very much required in near future.

3. Costlier than other similarly featured netbook. It’s all because of Sony brand name.

4. Boot up time is comparatively more.

5. Low backup time of only 4hrs, as 7-8hrs is normal in netbook.

6. Windows 7 Starter Edition.

  

Price

The MRP of this netbook is Rs.22990 as per the Sony India website. I purchased it for Rs.23350 from Reliance Digital (it is a long story that why I paid more than MRP- read out my review on ‘Reliance Digital’ to know more). You can easily get it in the range of Rs.22000 from online stores or a store near you. Do bargain.

  

Final words

This slim and stylish netbook offers durability, mobility and lightweight. It has the perfect size for portability and can easily fit in any type of bag. If you are a frequent traveler or need an additional computer for your personal need, you can choose this one. The looks are very impressive without any compromise on performance. The major drawbacks are Windows 7 starter edition and low battery backup. It is much better than its 10in counterparts. For me this is the perfect choice, considering my requirements.

Remember that VPCYB25AG is similar to this model except type of cache and few minor changes.

Important- Do purchase this netbook only if you are a fan of Sony Vaio, Kareena Kapoor or deadly looks.  You can get similar featured netbook like HP, Dell, and Asus etc at lower price (lower in the range of 1-2k). Though it is bundled with few Sony softwares, but can be compromised with many other features of other netbooks.

I too had a Love Story- Ravinder Singh

READ IT TO FEEL IT !!!

My ratings- 4/5

Days pass by somehow
But nights now are a wagon of pain
Injuries may heal  with time

But marks will always remain

I too had a habit….

Yes I too had a habit of reading novels. But I am busy in lot many other useless things that I don’t get time to read. Still this useless habit made me landed on MS on one fine day. Luckily I started reading again. I started reading reviews. And due to one of the review on MS I got to know about a novel. About a writer, whom I wasn’t aware, exists. That review inspired me to give a take on it. While reading that review, I was traveling in train. And at the next stop I searched for it and thus I became a proud owner of ‘I Too Had A Love Story by Ravinder Singh’ by investing meager amount of Rs.100.



By reading this novel, I concluded one major thing that I too had a love story.

Restless on my comfortable bed
I toss and turn and try to sleep
But thoughts are bulking my head
And have formed a huge heap

I too had a love story….

“A boy meets a girl over internet. Love happens even before meeting each other. Suddenly, girl dies in an accident and love blossoms forever.”

That’s the whole story. I know the story before I started reading this novel. But ironically this novel is not about story; it’s about how you feel it.

The story is written in self-narrative style; even the main character name is same as the author. It is believed that it is true story of author but there is no certainty about this piece of information. I am saying it as I have noticed few things-
1. The novel is dedicated to the loving memory of ‘Khushi’ (the female lead of novel) whom the author loved but could not marry.
2. In the acknowledgement part, it is mentioned that Khushi’s father does the reviewing for the very first time.
3. The novel comes with a punchline- ‘A heartbreaking true love tale’.

You might have heard about movies that it has got old story but a different treatment. The same word ‘Treatment’ is well applicable here.

The Author of this novel is Ravinder Singh, working in Infosys. Tried to google him out without any great success. If you want to know about him, there is a small brief about him with a dashing photo in the novel. Even tried to browse his website but it has been hacked. No matter who he is or from where he is but he is able to deliver a wonderful work.

The past is flashing its scorching light beams
Tearing me apart, breaking me at the seams
The darkness of my life is more visible in the dark
And now I am trying to give it a voice, trying to speak my heart

I too had a view….

The most important part of this review is that who should read it. I will try to make you understand it in laymen’s language that if a person is interested in natural beauty, he can never feel the beauty of TajMahal likewise a person interested in historic monuments will never admire The Alps.

1. If you don’t like my reviews because it is written in very simple language without any verbose phrases, this novel is not for you. It is written in most simple language or I should say English that is spoken by majority of Indians.
2. If you are admirers of big names of literature, this novel is a piece of junk for you.
3. If you are fed up of heavy phrases, newspaper editorials etc, read it to lighten your mood and taste.
4. Read it if you had a love story. I bet that you will be forced to travel to the golden past when you first hold the hand of your beloved, your first unforgettable touch, that first kiss of your life, the most precious moment when you seen her for the first time and all those innumerous moments that you have forgotten long back. Feel all those moments once again, if you really want so. If those moments hurt, then there is no need to read it.
5. I think almost every person has a habit of imagining the stories while reading it. Don’t read it if you again want to pass through that imagination phase. Read it to feel it.
6. This is one of the unique novel where I was aware of the end but still I want to know that how it all happens. Though it is not a thriller but I felt the thrill- the romantic thrill, the thrill that forces me to know the next stage of their love. After a long time I read a novel in one go.
7. I admit that there are many flaws & shortcomings in this novel. Don’t read it to find the flaws in the writing style of the author or to find comparisons of him with Chetan Bhagat (frankly telling, the writing style is copied from him). There are many incidents mentioned in the novel, which normally don’t happen, in the real life but still it is good to read. The novel is written very innocently, may be to describe the true feelings. I should say that it is a very humble attempt to share one’s own love story.
8. Read it if you normally don’t read English novels.
9. Last but not the least, read it to believe me.

Freemake Video Converter

MUST HAVE ALL-IN-ONE CONVERTER 

My Ratings- 5/5

The life was going easy without any need of converters until the multimedia phones appeared in market. Once I started purchasing multimedia mobiles, the need for converter arises so as to convert audio, video and photos as per the phone’s compatibility. The most important thing to discuss is that I don’t want to spend a penny on this software. I searched for free software on internet to get my work done.

I was able to find few such as Super converter but they were so complicated that it made my work tougher. Either they were able to convert video only or sometime only audio. Finally I got this software on 4th 5th page of goggle when I was searching for “Video Converter”.

Freemake Video Converter is the best ever converter software I have ever found and the most amazing thing is that it is totally free and that too without any limitations. Don’t go by its name as it contains “Video”. It can do so many things that you can’t even imagine. I will discuss its features that it can perform.

CONVERTING VIDEOS/ AUDIOS/ PHOTOS

It can convert all the possible video/ audio/ photos files as per your requirements. As of now, it can convert files to AVI, MKV, MP4, WMV, SWF, FLV, MPEG and 3GP. This feature is very important as each and every mobile has its own compatible formats. If some are able to play MP4 then some are more compatible with AVI. So you need not to worry now when downloading videos over net or getting from elsewhere, you can play it definitely on your mobile.

You can convert videos into HD 1080p, HD 720p, DVD quality, TV quality, Mobile quality, same as source or your customized presets.

Interesting part is that it can even convert videos into MP3. What else do you expect a freeware to do? And it can be done easily with just few clicks.

Your slideshow of photos can also be converted into a video of your required format.

RIPPING DVD

Ripping is the process of copying audio or video content to a hard disk, typically from removable media. The word is used to refer to all forms of media. Despite the name, neither the media nor the data is damaged after extraction. They are mainly used to transfer video on DVDs to different formats, to edit or back up DVD content, and to convert DVD video for playback on media players and mobile devices. (Definition source: Wikipedia)

Ripping is very easy by using this software. Just click the button “Add DVD”, choose DVD folder (VIDEO_TS) or the drive with a DVD disc. Select the output format and click “Convert”.

It can also rip Blue-ray.

JOINING VIDEO/ AUDIO FILES

Video and audio files can easily be combined by just click of a button. Add all the required files to the program; establish the right sequence of the audio or video files by just using the drag-and-drop method. Then click the option “Join Files”. It is really very easy and useful process.

BURNING DVD

This is the most useful feature as most of the software available on internet can not burn DVD. Those softwares can burn CD but for DVD we need to get premium version by paying an amount. This software do that function for us very easily and too without any cost.

Just browse the videos you would like to burn by clicking “+Video” button. Then click “To DVD” button. We can choose default settings or we can change aspect ratio, title menu type etc. Insert a DVD disc and click “Burn”. By Freemake everything is so easy.

DIRECT CONVERSION TO SONY / APPLE/ ANDROID

It is a very handy tool where in we can convert audio, video or photos as per our devices. There are readymade formats available for Apple devices; Sony PSP/PS3 & Android based devices.

Just add video or audio by clicking “+Video” or “+Audio” button and then click “to Apple”, “to Android” or “to Sony” and your work is done.

While converting to Apple formats, there are readymade presets for Apple TV, iPod, iPhone and iPad. You can even add your presets.

YOUTUBE COMPATIBLE

I find this feature most amazing and most interesting. You will not need a YouTube downloader after this software.

You can download videos from YouTube directly into your required formats. Just copy the URL of video from YouTube, then click on “Paste URL” on this software. Click on the required format you need, and your work is done. Freemake will download this video and at the same time will convert it into required format. We can even directly download YouTube to iTunes.

Also, you can directly post your videos, audios and photos to YouTube by just clicking “to YouTube” button.

VIDEO/ AUDIO EDITING

This software can be used as video and audio cutter. Just add video or audio file, make necessary cuts or edits and then convert the edited portion to a required format.

VERDICT

What else to say? This is all-in-one software.

I should say that it is must have for all computer users. I have never seen free software like it that can perform so much of functions.

Just try it for once. I bet that you will addict to it once you will start using it. It is available for free at http://www.freemake.com under the name of “Freemake Video Converter”.

Do remember to comment after trying it!!!