My Computers
I feel like writing something whenever I get up early. For some unknown reason I’m thinking about my old PCs and wanted to post a blog.
My first PC was a desktop bought somewhere in 2004-2005. I had to convince my Mom and Periyama very hard to get one for me. My Mom finally said ok and got me a PC with the help of my cousins Arun and Raj. The config was pretty decent. It had a Intel Celeron processor with 40 GB hdd and a 256 MB of RAM. I installed dual OS – Windows 98 and XP.
I’m not impressed with its performance, so a couple of months later I changed almost all the internal parts. I upgraded it with an AMD processor, gigabit motherboard, 80 GB hdd, 512 MB RAM and a DVD reader. The monitor and CPU case were the same. I spent more than 10,000 rupees from my mom’s wallet 
Having that PC at home, I learned a lot of multimedia software but created nothing out of it I used it to the core and experimented in all possible means. After 4-5 years it gave me lot of trouble and it was a burden for me to carry that desktop whenever I change my room. So I sold it for 4500 INR and I did own any computer for the next 1 year.
In 2009 I bought a HP laptop for 46000 INR. This one helped me find a university for my part-time post graduation. I sold it after 2 plus years of hard-core use and now I own a MacBook PRO. I’m planning to upgrade the RAM from 4 to 8 Gig.
I have this habit of upgrading /altering my computer like some people do it for their new bikes and cars
Everything we own and use will benefit us in some ways and brings change over the period of time!
New Year and My New MacBook Pro
This New Year I gifted myself a MacBook Pro. Buying a new mac wasn’t my resolution but it was my wish for a long time.
My 4 year old HP laptop gets pretty hot these days which made me to buy a new one. I was not satisfied with any of the PCs available in the market other than the MacBook Pro.
The only thing that objected me all these years in buying an Apple computer is its huge price. Then I figured out that its not just the money I’m lacking but the confidence and the guts to spend on what I like.
So I made up my mind just a day before the New Year 2012 and stepped out to nearby stores for enquiring. After a lot of thinking and comparison about the 13 and 15 inch MacBooks I finally chose the 15 inch.
In the morning of New Year’s day I went to temple with my friend (He had forced me to go with him ) then I slept for few hours and in the evening I brought this pretty MacBook Pro home
It’s cool and awesome. Now for the next 6 moths, I need to pay the EMI dues for this thing of beauty 
Happy New Year !!
P.S : I sold my HP laptop for 11 k
Happenings of my life in 2011?
Year 2011 is almost over. It’s been a fairly good year. A lot had happened during this year. Up and downs, confronted a couple of rejections, travelled to new places befriended colleagues, shifted my living place and a lot more.
Here is short list of happenings of my life in 2011
Career: Job was smooth but wasn’t much interesting.
Saddened moments: I felt so bad when I got rejected in Visa interview but now it appears like ‘I did not miss anything big’
Weight gained: 1 KG.
Books read: Rules of life, Inside Steve’s brain and now reading The Fountainhead.
Purchased: Windows phone 7
Enjoyed: lot of 3D animation movies.
Lessons Learnt: Never ever lose hope.
Having learnt that, I’m looking forward to the New Year with lot of hope.
The VideoBee app – My first Windows Phone 7 project
I’m planning to develop an app for my windows phone 7 that streams video from IP cameras and renders. There is a hell lot of apps already available in Market Place that does the same. But I want to create one on my own. I will be posting the updates on my blog frequently.
Here we go !!
What do I need to develop this ? Well here is the list of things I need…
- An IP camera – I don’t have one and I’m not buying one either
- Web server – To store the videos from the camera on demand.
- AppHub developer ID. – I need to pay $99 for submitting my app in market place. but let me bother about that after completing the project.
I’m going to broadcast my Webcam and use a couple of live public cameras since buying an IP camera is not a good idea . I need a web server to store those videos and I need to develop a web service and host it on the same server that pushes notifications to my phone whenever a motion event occurs.
Webcam as an IP cam:
There are a lot of tools that broadcasts webcam video over HTTP. I’m using yawcam tool suggested by my friend. It’s really cool and does what exactly I needed. I’m able to stream it to my Phone
Now I need to FTP the images to the web server.
How can I do that ? I need a web server. I’m not sure how to get this done. I have a free MS azure pass for 7 days but not sure that works. I need to find a best solution for this. Let me go to office and think about it
Status : Broadcasting the video is almost ready with the help of a tool. 95% of work is left.
Expenses in Chennai, Sky rocketing.
Its a monday morning and I left home early. I mostly don’t use my scooter for office. I used to catch an AC bus and then a share auto to office. It’s always tough to get a seat in the bus. But today it’s unusually free, I wondered and took a seat. When the conductor approached me I handed him 23 rs. He smiled and told me that the price was increased, I gave him extra 2 rs thinking that he asked for 25. He smiled again and said its actually 35 rs.
I was shocked. That’s really too much of money. Now I understood why the bus is super free
70 rs to and fro is really too much for a single day. My stop has come and I’m puzzled now on how much this auto guys will ask me ???@$
My daily expenses is increasing day by day.
Life at Chennai has become much more costlier.
HTC Post mango update
I got a Pop up saying there is a new update (Htc Update) for my wp7 two days back.
I eagerly updated to see what it actually has…and this is what I found… Nothing
I was expecting Internet Tethering but nothing was in it.
Now I wonder what the heck this update is about 
Raining…
I’m walking on the rainbow while it’s drizzling on me
Am I in a parallel universe flying free?
Is that a sound of a rain or a soothing song?
It brings back the bliss that stays for long,
I got soaked in the shower of blessings from skies
I wondered and opened my eyes…
It’s raining outside and I’m sleeping inside.
A Trip to TADA falls
It’s 3.50 am, Saturday morning. I got up 10 minutes before the alarm sounds.
I had enough time to get ready. So I thought of downloading some GPS turn by turn apps from windows market place to my phone which might be helpful during the travel.
I got ready at 6 am to start my journey with my friends Amarnath and Rajiv who will be waiting for me at Guindy. We reached TADA falls check post by 10.30 am and it took 30 more minutes to reach the parking area.
The monkeys and the steel bridge were welcoming us and we are now ready for the trekking which we have been longing for
We walked on a muddy, bumpy path which did not seem much hard and then had to cross two small streams towards mountains. The water is crystal clear. We also found broken glasses and plastics thrown everywhere by drunkards.
Here comes the actual trekking. Rocks standing tall in front of us
A few clicks on the way…
We reached an interesting place where we played for a while. There is small water fall at the end of this pond. The water gets deeper when you move on. You can not reach there if you are not good at swimming.
We then moved on from here to see the actual water falls. It was a very tough trekking.
At last we reached this water falls. It’s not a big one, but worth coming here.
It’s 4.30 pm and raining. So we started getting down since it wouldn’t be safe when its gets darker.
I had to climb down from this rock. Risky , Mission Impossible
Took a snap on the way down (Mango , Fish pool) which is very near to the parking area.
Way back home.
Walking on the bumpy road , Climbing the slippery rocks , Swimming in the purest water…It was a good trip indeed !!
R.I.P Steve Jobs
Today morning I got a call from my friend saying ‘Steve Jobs died’. I immediately got up from my bed and switched on my PC to check the news and this is what I saw in Apple.com.
It’s really sad news for me and for those who were inspired and touched by his Innovation and Creativity.
My hearty condolences to his family,friends and the employees of Apple.
I would like to post the speech he gave in 2005 at Stanford University.
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”
Miss You Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs steps down
I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.
The great innovator Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple. He is one of my inspirations in life for innovation. It’s a sad news that he has stepped down. Apple still can continue without him and reach new heights, but will there be any innovation and great design?
My first Apple product that I own was a 3rd generation iPod Nano. When I bought that, I was fantasized by the User Interface and the design especially the Thumb Wheel. It saved my thumb from hell lot of clicks
All their products aren’t affordable that I couldn’t buy anything other than the iPod :) but still I keep checking their site for the news and fall in love with all new Apple products.
Currently I’m reading a book about him – Inside Steve’s brain. I am yet to complete the book and hearing his resignation news today is just sad.
I always remember Steve Jobs for the following.
- He was dropped out of college.
- Introducing the first home computer with a GUI
- Resigned Apple and founded NeXT
- Pixar Animation Studios
- He recruited John Sculley (Pepsi Co CEO) by asking him “Do
you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come
with me and change the world” - Creation of Mac OS, iPod, iPhone, iPad
- His Black Turtle-neck T shirt and Blue jean.
There is lot more to say but I will end my post here as I have my Algorithm arrears exam tomorrow morning
I wish him good health.
Thank you Steve Jobs for inspiring me in life !!
Hello World,
