David vs Goliath! (Smartphones)

I was recently looking at new and upcoming android smartphones, and was amazed to look at new entrants like Xiaomi and OnePlus. They are offering phones that can beat the flagships of any company that calls itself a mobile superpower (read Samsung, LG, etc.) and can stand on their own.

The Xiaomi Mi3 and the OnePlus One offer top of the line specifications in terms of hardware and have even got all the software power under the hood. Talk to any passionate technology enthusiast and you will learn that CyanogenMod and/or MiUi are among the best (if not the best) flavors of android available out there.

Let's look at some of the key specifications of the two "David" phones;

Xiaomi Mi3:

Screen: 5 inches IPS LCD with a resolution of 1080X1920 pixels (441 ppi) with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Memory: 2 GB RAM and 16/64 GB ROM
Primary Camera: 13 MP, Autofocus, Dual LED Flash, HDR with 1080p (30 FPS) HDR Video Recording
Secondary Camera: 2MP Still and 1080p (30 FPS) Video Recording
Operating System: Android v4.3 (MiUi), Upgrade-able to v4.4.2 (MiUi)
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8274AB Snapdragon 800
CPU: Quad Core 2.3 GHz Krait 400
GPU: Adreno 330
Price In India: INR 13,999 (Flipkart)
For full specifications, visit GSM Arena Xiaomi Mi3

OnePlus One:

Screen: 5.5 inches LTPS LCD with a resolution of 1080X1920 pixels (401 ppi) with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Memory: 3 GB RAM and 16/64 GB ROM
Primary Camera: 13 MP, Autofocus, Dual LED Flash, HDR with 2160p (30 FPS) HDR Video Recording
Secondary Camera: 5MP Still and 1080p (30 FPS) Video Recording
Operating System: Android  v4.4.2 (CyanogenMod 11S)
Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801
CPU: Quad Core 2.5 GHz Krait 400
GPU: Adreno 330
Expected Price In India: INR 21,000
For full specifications, visit GSM Arena OnePlus One

Clearly, the "Goliaths" of the smartphone world are in for some tough times, specially in developing countries like India where the likes of Micromax, Lava and Karbonn have already upset the cart a bit. The top of the line specifications and the competitive pricing is all in the new entrant's advantage. The only downside one can assume is the lack of trust in the relatively unknown brands and the huge question on the availability of service centers.

We have seen the fall of giants like Nokia and Blackberry in the past, and if the market is played right by these new and small companies, the past may just repeat itself. But the might of the "super-brands" is in itself a challenge not many can face. The huge budget at their disposal can be used for aggressive sales and marketing tactics that can drive the small companies away. So, will the Davids of the smartphone world be able to slay the Goliaths? Or will the Goliaths reign supreme? Only time will tell.

Images Credit: http://blog.khojle.in/ and http://recodetech.files.wordpress.com/

Specifications Credit: http://www.gsmarena.com/

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!! (Pics)

This one may be a little (a LOT) late actually, but believe me, it does not mean that the affection I have for you has got even a notch down! This is for my sweetheart +Reema Bhaduri ! You are the sister I never had, the flame of eternal love and undying respect that I have seen only blossom as each day goes by. Your birthday, was a day I was really looking forward to. And boy, the day was more fun than I ever imagined. The long drive, the beer, the pizza, the dancing on the roads, the photo sessions, meeting your friends, facing your parents, everything was just out of the world! Sweetie, if the word love has some meaning in my life, you are the reason it does, you are one of the few people who have thought me that relationships do not need a bond of blood, true love and respect are sufficient. No matter how seldom we may speak, I know that when I need a person to share anything and everything going on in my life, I would not have to think twice before giving you a call, and you know no matter what happens, you can depend on me blindly.

To all the people who believe that loving a girl outside your family just means a girls you can have a relationship with, they need to see us hanging out sometimes. Even though we have all the gaps in terms of our age, gender, thinking, personalities, the way we just gel in and leave all that behind is absolutely amazing. Also, a big thanks to Esha and Pragya for making the day awesome! It couldn't have been the same without you both there!

Smart Phones, Dumb People!

You know what irritates me the most, a person sitting across the table busy on his/her so called "smart" phone. All around I see people so engrossed in their phones/tablets/phablets that to them the real world just does not seem to exist anymore.

Very recently, I went out with this pretty girl whom I had a crush upon since a long while. I was so happy to finally be able to work out some time from both our schedules, and we agreed to meet at a quiet restaurant for dinner. The atmosphere was mesmerizing, the air was filled with this special fragrance and the ambiance just screamed that "this is the place love happens". But to my utter disappointment, she did not even look up and absorb all of this, not once. She was so busy on her phone, first "checking in" into the place, tagging me, writing some nice words and answering the "comments" that followed. It was irritating, "Hello lady, here I am, sitting in front of you, and you are telling people how good a time you are having without even looking at and absorbing the beauty of the place, let alone look at me." My appreciation for the girl dropped so much that after many attempts at small talk, when she seemed just not interested in anything but her mobile phone, I respectfully paid the bill, stood up, and walked away. Away from the restaurant, and definitely away from the girl.

You see, the problem has its roots very deep and is a huge issue for people today. A recent study I read said that there were more people (young people) who said they can live without sex but not their phone! This was an eye opener. Do we really have to rethink the Maslow's Need Hierarchy, because as it seems, smartphones have took over even the most basic needs. I remember when I was in school, we were given essays to write on the topic "Technology - Bane or Boon." I, being a technology enthusiast from a very tender age, always wrote good things. But as I look at the world today, I am forced to rethink!

I am a part of it too, but have tried to refrain as much as I can from this deadlock of the virtual world, where I have a lot of friends, but in reality, even fail to acknowledge one another if we see each other in person. I used to talk to and share things with a lot of people through the so called "social" networks and "social" messengers, but when put in a face to face situation, words just fail to come out! Are these "social" networks and messengers actually making us "anti-social"?

It is my humble request to one and all, please go out and look at the world as it really is. It is beautiful. Meet people, talk to them the way it was intended, where you look into each other's eyes and share all the feelings stuck deep inside. No amount of messaging or sharing on a social network can make up for the lost time that you could have spend with people who actually care and want to really talk, and be there for you. Let the phone be the device it actually was intended to be, a device to talk to people so that you can fix appointments to actually meet them. Remember, no amount of time wasted talking to random people over messages can compensate for a mere moment of love, and satisfaction of being with the person you really care about, and who cares about you the same way.

And do watch the awesome video "Look Up" by +Gary Turk

The first post

Hi people. I know a post titled "The first post" cannot get any more boring, but that's the best I could come up with, literally. I will be honest, I did search the whole internet for hours trying to find out how to write the perfect first post. I looked at other blogs, I skimmed through a number of how-to's and I even asked a few people. So, let's proceed as per the template.

My name is Manish and I live in this town called NOIDA (the name is actually an acronym), in India. I am 25 years old, and have just written a few pieces here and there. This is actually my first attempt into the wonderful world of writing and blogging. Over time, I intend to write about everything I can. My interests lie among sports, food, technology, travel, books, movies and the sorts, so expect reviews of all sorts, travel documentaries, recipes and my personal life.

I recently abandoned social networks and instant messaging (not exactly abandoned them, more of a only check once a day thing) because of the inner urge and drive to get out of the digital world and experience the real one. Soon did I realize that its not gong to be that easy. I wanted to talk to people, tell them about my feelings and experiences, share the happiness and the sadness more than ever. But going back was not an option, and that was the idea that gave birth to this blog. In here I wish to share all my experiences, adventures, joys (and sorrows) with the world, without the pressure of anyone "liking", "re-tweeting", "+1ing" or any other sort of "heart-ing" the post.

I welcome any comments and suggestions. Your feedback is really appreciated as I am new here and would love to hear from everyone on how I can improvise and improve. You can e-mail me anything from a "hi" to a "I wish you die and rot in hell" at rohillamanish@yahoo.co.in or rohillamanish@outlook.in.