Riculous Products

Is it so hard for people to think how the customer would use a piece of software? Why in the world would someone write an installer for a piece of software that customers would potentially use only a few times on a machine? Beats my mind.

And so does Intel. I've been trying to use the Virtual XP Mode in Windows 7 and as part of the process I get advised to use in Intel Processor Identification Utility and check for the support. Now how many times would one want to use that? Not even a handful!

With such software plauging the PC world why wouldn't Windows suck? The OS is by itself a marvelous piece of work only surpassed by its monumental failure for having given power to the developers thinking they are *smart*. Most of them are NOT!

It is pretty disastrous to see a reputable software house coming up with something like this. End-customers end up paying the price for the developers technical inadequacies. Welcome to the world of bang-for-the-buck!

This is one reason why Apple products rule while the others plain suck. They let the customers do what they need to (for most part, read - bearing enterprise users), and not forcing them to do things coz of their engineers inadequacies. Apple split the consumer world into two - those who love Apple products and those who would do anything not to buy one just coz they want to be different (or can't afford blah blah blah) from the crowd.

Finally what my folks always wanted!

When I used to slouch as a kid my aunt used to come and knock my back asking me to sit straight :). She used to threaten me that she'd fix a wooden stick along my back to make me sit erect if I don't comply =))! Ha ha! Although I consciously try to sit erect as it feels good, though its not comfortable for long. I end up slouched when I get cozy or bogged down with my code not working :D. Seriously this is definitely one useful gadget for something we all tend to ignore.

I just wanted people to know that this is on my wish list :p. Anybody wanna get this for me? (So shameless of me *duh*.)

Kindle's been unleashed

Today Jeff Bezos launched the amazon kindle at 7:30 pm IST :). Boy'o'boy am I really excited. I don't wish to say too much, but it was just way way way way over expectations at our control centre. Do check out the videos on the device here - http://www.amazon.com/kindle.

Here are a few links that I managed to get though -

1. Reinventing the book
2. Engadget live at launch
3. More on engadget
4. Gizmodo @ launch
5. The 'Kindle' Revolution (watch the video here)
   

I find the possibilities endless. And I just can't stop thinking. A lot many of you may not be all that excited. But I've been around this device for little less than 6 months and its just amazing when I think of it in the hands of people and how it could impact our society in the years to come :).

So here are some thought of mine as to the possibilities

1. Business men on tour getting their favourite newspaper where ever they go. No more missing out papers when you travel, no more search for where the news stand is. Wherever you go, your paper follows you ;).

2. Bloggers and blog readers on the move. Sometimes I've wished while I were traveling if I could catch up with some blogs. Wait until the kindle starts pumping your favourite blog and you can read it on the move. No PC Required! And who knows, maybe the device would also let you blog in the days to come :).

3. Voracious readers of books. I am the kind who reads books while traveling but I just hate carrying the bulky thing and having to bookmark where I left. The kindle is just IDEAL for that. Keep reading, turn it off, come back and it will take you to where you left. Something that I found was a big turn-off with PDF readers. And moreover, you can carry over 200 books in just ~10 ounces ;).

4. Students - With most of the kindle editions being priced at not more than $9.99 (which is how amazon would want it) this would be a great boon for students not having to carry tons of books or go through the painful process of reading from back-lit device. Although such books are not available for the kindle, I am blown away just thinking of the possibility of wide use of it in academic circle.

I can go on-and-on but am short of time so I'll cut it down here and leave the remaining thinking to you. Maybe i'll stop with imagining a color display and also support for music in the background (so befitting for people who listen to music while reading :D.

The experience for us in the war room was exhilarating. It was like we were launching a space-shuttle and during lift off a piece of foam broke off. But then it was nothing to worry. And the rate at which the device was selling out was simply MINDBLOWING. The number of people requesting for their stuff to appear on the kindle was unfathomable.

I hate to make a comparison of the kindle for IMHO it stands by itself in human history, but for the benefit of reader to comprehend its potential impact - Kindle will do to reading what the iPod did to music ;).

Do comment your ideas as to how this could change out lives.

Note: None of the opinions expressed here are those of Amazon or the people withing and are purely my thoughts on this ground breaking event.