Orangeman Burns - Sriram Sridharan's Blog

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Introduction

After what has been a long wait, it looks like 3G networks will go live en masse Q1 this year. I remember writing excitedly on my blog; sometime in February 2009, when then Communications and IT Minister A.M. Raja made the first 3G call, at BSNL’s Anna Salai Telephone Exchange. I believed that it was the beginning of a huge change. Well, looking back, it was a huge change after all; it just took a while. BSNL and MTNL launched their 3G services early last year and private players like Reliance and Tata DoCoMo commercially started offering 3G during Q4 of 2010. Other players like Vodafone, Airtel and Aircel are expected to start their 3G services in Q1 2011. But what does all this mean to you?

Back in the time

Let me give you an impromptu history class, before we head into the pros and cons of 3G. For your reference, when I say 3G, I mean the GSM kind of 3G or something that’s popularly known as UMTS.

The 1G standard used analog modulation for the signals, much like the AM/FM radios. Even though it meant lugging around huge phones, it was the birth of true mobile communications for the masses.

The 2G standard, which most of us are aware of, was the first digital standard for mobile phones. This used digital signalling for voice modulation. It was however voice only. In the 2.5G iteration, GPRS was introduced. This enabled a user to get a data connection to the internet. It was however slow, with the theoretical speeds of about 120kbps and with an actual rated speed of about 20-50kbps. It also introduced MMS. It was touted to be an SMS like service but with audio visual-content. 2.75G introduced EDGE which promised a data connection of up to 240kbps but delivered anywhere between 60-120kbps. Remember that these speeds are dependent of the user’s location, his/her movement etc.

The 3G standard is the next big evolution after 2.75G. After multiple iterations of the 2G standards, 3G may not seem like a huge leap as compared to 1G->2G but, trust me, it is. 3G brings even faster data access speeds- from a minimum of 384kbps with UMTS to 21Mbps of the HSPA+ evolution. It also brings more security with End User Equipment authentication and a more evolved encryption scheme.

Again, what does this mean to you?

The 3G Experience

I have access to AT&T’s 3G network in the US on an Apple iPhone 4. The whole video call phenomenon has not really taken off in the US. In my very humble opinion, having a video call tariff is rubbish since with a 3G’s data speeds, it is often cheaper to use software based video calling[Skype, Facetime, Fring] in conjunction with a data plan. The typical speeds I have experienced vary between 1-6Mbps. I actually have tethered the 3G data to my netbook via MiWi and watched YouTube videos on a road trip. YouTube HD videos are pretty fast as are HD Netflix movies/TV shows. To sum up, your 3G data connection will actually be as fast, if not faster, than most of your residential internet connections.

Cons

So what are the cons?

With the operators being allocated on a region to region basis, your original provider might not have 3G cell towers in your roaming region. In the 2G world, you’d simply use a partner’s cell tower but most operators today have not inked agreements for sharing 3G resources.

You will also need a compatible 3G handset to use the 3G services. You will also be responsible for procuring a device with a front camera if you need to make a voice call. You also need to make sure that it works with India’s 3G frequency band i.e. 2100MHz.

Video calls are now temporarily on hold, as of the time of writing this article, while the Indian Government evaluates and includes a backdoor into the data stream for surveillance and monitoring.

You also need to take into account the pricing shift. Data plans will be significantly be more expensive than the 2G tariffs. Looking at BSNL’s current tariffs, here is an estimated table of costs:

Post Paid[per month]	Pre Paid[per month]
Rs. 200 - .5 GB	Rs. 220 - .5 GB
Rs. 300 - 1GB	Rs. 350 - 1GB
Rs. 520 – 2GB	Rs. 570 – 2GB

Remember, the above figures are an educated guess, derived from BSNL’s current offerings. Competition might drive the prices own even further. To compare, 2G data [GPRS/EDGE] will run you about Rs.100 a month for 2GB usage.

Conclusion

To wind up this article, 3G is clearly not for everyone. If you plan to use heavy streaming data on your mobile phone and have a 3G compatible phone, 3G is for you. If you just check the scores/news and would rather not plop down the extra cash for a 3G data plan or a 3G enabled phone, EDGE should be fast enough for you.

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The year 2010 has a lot of surprises in store for use, gadget-wise. Some of them will be expected, but others will not be. Let us look at what 2010 has in store for us.

5. Solid State Drives
Solid State Drives have been available for industrial and military consumption since the mid 90s but the high cost/GB has kept it from being adopted by the general public. The SDDs offers better performance, is more efficient and is more silent compared to the Hard Drives [HDDs] that the modern computers have. In a couple of years, SSDs will be standard equipment for anyone buying a desktop or a laptop. Most of the modern Operating Systems like Windows 7 and some Linux distros have support for SSD commands like the TRIM function. By the Fall of 2009, the SSDs have almost reached the $2/GB barrier in the international markets. While the SSDs are yet to take off in India, they will when the market reaches maturity in the US and Europe.

4. Google Chrome OS:
The Chrome OS is Google’s maiden attempt at developing an Operating System primarily intended for cloud computing. While this is not Google’s first attempt for developing an OS [They developed the Android OS for mobile phones], this is the first serious attempt any developer has made towards an OS built exclusively for cloud computing. In cloud computing, the data and the applications are not stored on your hard drive. They are stored on specialized servers called the “Cloud”. While the Chrome OS is based off Linux and will run on Google recommended and approved hardware, it should be hacked to support other hardware soon. The Chrome OS is designed to run on netbooks and other portable computing devices. Google has promised a sub-10 second startup time and this should blow the other netbook OS’es out of the water.

3. Project Natal:
Project Natal is the internal name for Microsoft’s new Xbox system where the gamers would use their hands, gestures and spoken words to play instead of using the controller. Think of it like a controller-less Wii, just with better games. The system was launched in 2009 and is expected to ship out as an add-on to the existing XBox 360s. The system consists of a camera, depth sensor and a mic. The inputs taken from these sources control the game play. The new controller is capable to tracking 4 persons at 48 points for movement and can identify individual fingers. This makes Microsoft’s Xbox 360 a viable contender to the Play Station since Sony introduced the EyeToy.

2. Apple iPhone 4G:
Apple’s new iPhone is rumored to launch in summer 2010 with a host of hardware and software improvements. The phone is reported to have a 5 Megapixel camera with AF, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor under clocked to 800MHz and a front facing camera for video conferencing. The phone may operate on the Verizon’s 4G LTE network in the US which means India will never see the 4G soon. But with Apple’s uber-secretive policies, we will only know more about the phone a few weeks from the launch date.

1. Google Nexus One:
The Nexus One has been Google’s worst kept secret after their employees twittered away the details of the phone when it was given away to a select few. The phone is unlocked and heralds Google’s entry into the mobile phone market. The phone is 3G equipped with HSDPA/HSUPA support and WiFi. The phone comes with a 3.7 inch OLED touch screen and runs the soon-to-be-released Android 2.1 . It does not support multi-touch out of the box like other Android phones and Google has fully customized the Android OS for the Nexus One. It also comes with a 5 Megapixel camera with support for geo-tagging. The phone is also equipped with two mics- one in the front and one in the rear. The one in the front is for the user’s voice and the one in the rear is to cancel out the background noise. The phone will be sold unlocked and has an expected release date in the 5th of January. It will be priced at around $500 for the unlocked version and $180 for the subsidized version through a 2 year contract with T-Mobile.

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It's now officially Fall, the time when people start planning their purchases for the new school year and the holidays. I'm sure that the first thing on the mind of most people all over the world is a laptop. With the huge publicity surrounding Windows 7, corporate and home users alike have been putting off their computing purchases until the OS’s release. I personally know of atleast 15 people who plan to trash their aging laptops and desktops and get brand new ones after Windows 7’s release. HP is one of the very few companies that have mastered the magic of balancing features with value. HP’s site is replete with laptops, desktops, accessories, peripheral devices and many other gadgets and gizmos, that promises to cater to everyone’s whim and fancy. Let me share with you some of the gadgets I’d love to be able to buy from HP.

The first thing that ran across my mind, when the words HP and wish list were uttered, was HP’s flagship Touch Smart series tablet. The HP Touch Smart tx2z tablet one of the popular tablet computers that has regularly updated touch drivers. Most of the gadget freaks reading this article might remember the beta touch drivers that came out in time for the Windows 7 Beta and RC releases. This tablet is equipped with a 12.1” multi touch screen that has some really impressive specs under the hood. The eye catching pattern on the lid and the palm rest looks great and is trendy. HP also has some really good additional options for the tx2z in the form of battery, processor, memory, HDD upgrades.

Now that I have a state of the art lappie, the next gadget on my radar is a printer. Most modern printers need not be chained to PCs; you have printers that interact with your device via Bluetooth and WiFi. So the ideal printer for me would be a color all-in-one PC with WiFi like the HP Photosmart Plus all in one printer. This color inkjet comes along with a 2.39 inch touch screen that makes printing, scanning and copying really simple.

Ideally my wishlist would never conclude but these are the top gadgets that caught my attention. I’m sure I’ve got you salivating with all the great products that HP has to offer. If you’re planning on getting something from the HP online store , here’s a great offer. For a limited time, HP’s offering a stackable coupon for $30 off on orders $150 or greater at the HP Home Store. The coupon code you need to use is SV2132. Valid through 10/31 or while supplies last. Restrictions and exclusions apply.

Hold on! That’s not where the good news ends. I’m pleased to announce that there will be a contest, where all you gotta do is to leave a comment on this post telling everyone what HP laptop you like. The winner gets a $100 gift card from HP. Please do read the contest rules.

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