N70 - a review

Was going through rajan's views on the Nokia N series platform. Thought I'd post my review of the N70:

The +ves: Impressive camera - in dark lighting, the 2mpx cam of the N70 beats my 4mpx olympus hands down. Nice features - the mp3 player, calender functionality, opera, big screen, symbian OS with its themes. Great looks.

The -ves: Nokia's PCSuite is a pain - has more problems than I've encountered in any software recently and screws up the phone if it hangs. The phone's much more bulkier than my earlier 6610, the software too is much slower.

In sum: Think of it as carrying a small multimedia PC, not a phone (true, considering its processing power, memory and features would have been the envy of a PC 5 years back).

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all.

MS Subbulakshmi singing the Ganesh Pancharatnam : What a voice!

Mahabalipuram

I never knew Mahabalipuram was this close. Most of us Chennaiites remember it a place lying somewhere post Muttukadu and before Pondicherry where kids go on picnic. (Chennai's rapid expansion has put it within 15 mins from city limits). Last time I visited the place, I was in the 6th/7th standard at school - it was barren & hot - and I didn't have too many good memories of the place. But this time it was different - and its not just my viewpoint that has changed.

The ASI seems to be doing a good job of renovating and maintaining these monuments - the sculptures I remembered as strewn all over are neatly arranged, gardens surround most areas and the omnipresent security guards prevent all the littering they can. Plus, the 10 buck entry ticket has certainly worked wonders in preventing an unruly crowd from overrunning the monuments.

Mahabalipuram is certainly worth a visit - the craftmanship is absolutely impressive. Plus the drive along ECR and the beach add to the pleasure.

Chandigarh - Chandi ka ghar

Home of the rich & the beautiful. This doesn't look like the other parts of India. Wide roads like New Delhi, but without the crowds; palatial houses, every house with multiple long cars, with beautiful gardens throughout - everything is so well planned and clean (its almost freakish).

My work takes me to 'exotic' places - went to one such location yesterday, wading through slush and mud, covered in a layer of soot, in the middle of god-forsaken nowhere, only to find a guy working on a Sony Viao laptop. On the way out, found a guy navigating his way through muddy roads on a new Honda Civic. India is changing. And its interesting to watch how.

Ah, where did my love for flying go?

I used to love watching airlines take off. I used to love watching them land...

But these airlines are killing my love. Airports, I've realized, are amongst the most sober of places. Unlike the hustle-bustle, color and gaiety that characterizes railway stations, airports seem to be filled with somber perpetually sulking individuals.

In-flight its worse - these small port-holed aircraft prevent you from having a good view of the surroundings. How much fun it would be if they'd make the top or bottom of the plane of transparent glass.

Ah, where did my love for flying go...