Shalin Jain's little red couch

gMail - it's different!

I have been waiting desperately to lay my hands on gMail. Thanks to suman who invited me to open a gmail account (the beta version is not open-to-all yet).

Google revolutionized the Search Engine market with great google adwords concept (text ad). And now with email - they are not just another email service provider - they are innovating the way you managed your email.

To learn more about how gmail looks - go here. To read about new features and how it better in terms of usability - go here. I am gonna spend a little time thinking over their business model.

So, what is google upto here?
Free email service is nothing new. There tons of service providers offering this. So why should i use gmail. The answer is: 1000 MB email storage. wow! But what's the catch?

Google's main revenue comes from 'Google Ad Words'. Over the years Google has been trying to increase the reach of ads all over the internet. Starting from the searh engine ads to the ad sense program. Google content ads (ad sense) have penetrated very well. Coming back to the point - how can google now capitalize on their super hit ad words program - how can they get more clicks for their advertisers. So google thought of email.

The two most common things done by an internet user is:

My first roll on F55

I got my first roll developed on my F55 last week. The results weren't great as I was still experimenting with it. Nevertheless, here are couple of pics that i liked.

Karthik, at his office

Naksh, at home

I used the Flash for this one. Didn't like the output - it was flat as an ordinary film camera.

Me, clicked by karthik (Added blur & converted to grayscale)

Lot more to learn, this is just a beginning.

Blog - One Click Publishing

I designed my first homepage way back in 1998 and hosted at free hosting website. As months passed and other things kept me occupied, I found it difficult to keep updating content. My enthu to add content was less and to design a better site was more. Now, work keeps me real busy and it's tough to find great deal of time to update things. But thanks to blog revolution - it easy and effortless. One click and I have new story to tell. Anyways, the objective of my post here to forward this little gyan to other friends and colleagues who would want to BLOG! Other experts bloggers can add supplements to this post by means of comments.

What is Blog?
A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in cronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominantly. (Source: www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html)

Do you need a blog?
Blog is a great way to share experiences, knowledge, ideas and anything you would want to talk about. Blogging is an art!

How easy it is to setup a blog?
It's easy. You don't need any technical knowledge about HTML, CSS or anything like that.

Where do you get started?
There are plenty of free services available that would allow you to setup your blog in no-time.

Click! - I now own a Nikon F55

I'll be clicking a little more than usual these days. I recently bought a Nikon F55 (35mm SLR).

I had been inclined towards photography since quite some time now. During my visit to the East (Darjeeling, Sikkim) I started my first experimentation with a Pentax SLR with Yashica 28-70mm lens on it. Karthik provided me tons of inspiration, motivation and guidance.

Here is one of my favorite picture I had clicked.

You can expect a lot more of photo blogging happening.

The teller of tales - Preetam Rai

He is one person who just doesn't stop inspiring me.

Preetam is a traveler. He loves traveling, meeting people and learning languages. He has seen most of Asian countries and China is he most usual hangout. I have been reading his travel tales ever since I met him in Singapore. He also is a great photographer and has captured some amazing pictures. His Picture Gallery will take you through all over asia. He has been blogging since a long time now on his cute little iBook.

Here are couple of his must read tales:

The land of million smiles (Lao PDR)

A tryst with destiny (Angkor, Cambodia)

He usually travels alone with a single back pack and everytime I meet him online I need to ask him where he is today. Preetam is an Indian residing in Singapore. He teaches Computer Science and related subjects in a univ in Singapore.

I wanna soon travel the preetam way!

Heaven - 12,400ft above sea level!

Three days had elapsed since we began our journey to east. We probably had no clue of what Gangtok had in the offing. We cleared the security check point to enter Sikkim. Foreign nationals have to report to all such check-post. Military was all over the place. Roads were well made, traffic was highly disciplined, people would use foot-over to cross road and pavement to walk. Everything looked in place as we slowly got closer to the town.

Gangtok is about 5,800 feet above sea level. Gangtok has a regular helicopter service not just to get there but to sight see the majestic peaks and the valleys. I was thrilled but we had different plans. We went around the place the same evening in a taxi driven by 20 year old guy - bheem. He was very humble and was helping us by carrying the tripod everywhere we went.

At Ganesh Tok, Gangtok.

We headed for Changu Lake the next day.

Changu lake is a 40km uphill from gangtok at about 12,400ft. It took us about 90 minutes to get there. Every curve, every view on our way up there was truly exotic. We were spellbound when we reached Changu lake. It should have been around -3 , -5 Deg. C. The lake was frozen!

Changu Lake - Heaven!

We then hired some jackets & snow boots and got on a yak.

Chotu (Yak's name - He is just 4 years old.)

The yak took us to the other side of the lake.

I had put Karthik in a FIX!

After almost an hour of wandering in snow we headed back to eat a bit. The road side shop had veg. momos and Chowmien.

The most delicious Chowmien I have ever had!

We had to head back - we wanted to spend more time and actually head towards the Natula pass to see the China border - we just didn't have enough time. We left gangtok and headed back to Silliguri. I was very satisfied and enthralled.

Gangtok - I'll be right back!

Click here for more pictures.

Darling, darjeeling on my mind

Heading East: Part 2

I remember playing the board game called business. Darjeeling was one of the few hill stations I would always wanted to buy. I rather used to call it darling. I was little then.

There one thing we did enough in darjeeling - eating out!

We stayed at sterling resorts at Ghoom (about 7500ft above sea level) which is 8kms away from Darjeeling and indeed the highest point in Darjeeling.

Nehru road, in my opinion is darjeeling's answer to brigade road (bangalore). It's packed with shops and plenty of resturants. The most exciting place for dinner is THE BUZZ (Glenary's). It's a nice pub, plays live music after 6 and has pool table too.

Smile and darjeeling smiles with you. People are very friendly and kind. You would probably feel u have landed up in heaven. Just keep smiling all the way! Women are very beautiful in this region. Their hospitality cannot be matched.

There is more to darjeeling which would take me back there some day. Soon. After we spent almost two days in darjeeling we headed to gangtok. Taxi!

Click here for more pictures