Nano gets a thumbs up from designer Chhabaria

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA Money
Thursday, November 20, 2008

"The indigenous design of Nano has proved that Indians are equally competent in smart automobile design aspects," Dilip Chhabaria, the renowned sports car designer, told DNA Money during his Vadodara visit on Wednesday.

"Accommodating all features into a tiny automobile needs smart thinking, and Nano is a well designed car. We have proved that Indian can design fine cars," said Chhabaria, in an interactive session about the design of Tata's mini car.

He himself has recently designed a sports car targeting youth as the niche market. The sharp features of the car, which is to cost nearly Rs30 lakhs, are aerodynamic and have an original flair. Up till now, European countries were ahead of India in design, but this status has been challenged, with Nano-the finest example of Indian creativity. Designing a small and economic car like Nano is a feat, and needs many aspects to be taken under consideration, along with design feasibility.

Chhabaria appreciated the economic price of the car too. He enthused, "Nano is not only the cheapest car but its design is up to the mark. We have heard so much about the car, but it remains to be seen how it will perform on the roads."

For couples, web wedding is latest fad

Brides and grooms post profiles on the Net to keep relatives posted about marriage

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Thursday, November 13, 2008

With the days of grand and glamorous wedding season at doors, interestingly, it is not just the show of affluence. Rather the novel concept of 'Web wedding' has caught the fancy of would-be couples who want to make their weddings memorable in a special way.

So, today, more and more 'net savvy' marriage aspirants in the city are attracted to the trend of making personalised wedding websites for 'Web wedding'. Aspirant brides and grooms in the city and NRGs are opting for personalised wedding like www.firstphera.com, www.bestweddingsites.com and www.wedstudio.com which not only make the weddings live virtually but also connect the near and dear ones in their wedding journey virtually.These websites have different formats, starting from memories of first meeting to the journey of wedding through photographs, videos, blogs and tips for honeymoon places, too. Interestingly, the websites offer the tools of making personalised wedding websites free of charge to the users.The homepage includes various wedding articles. The website includes wedding schedule, guest book, celebration mode, blogs, picture, videos, notes and also profile of bride and groom. Brides and grooms can design their own wedding websites by decorating them with different themes, including wedding ceremony pictures, videos, blogs and invitations too.Sandip and Divya, a 'would be' couple in the city, have created their personalised wedding website. "A personal wedding website is a unique form of memorising wedding moments. The journey leading to our wedding is similar to a film story. I have been sharing pictures and videos of our engagement ceremony and courtship with close friends through the website. I have already uploaded our wedding invitation card on the site. This way, one can have a nice collection of wedding memories and that too live on internet," Sandip Kanojia, a software engineer, told DNA.Not only the marriage aspirants but many couples are also creating personalised wedding websites and create the wonderful memory tool after several years of their weddings. US-based Nikita Parikh, an NRG and education professional from Vadodara, is now creating her personalised wedding website after two years of her marriage with Vishal. When she got married, she had no chance to make her wedding live virtually; that is why, she is now making a personalised website. "I found this concept really exciting. Being married for two years, I had no chance to celebrate my wedding virtually, so I planned 'the post marriage' personalised wedding website that would feature our profiles, details of the journey from our first meeting to wedding. My husband doesn't know about it and I am going to gift this website to him on our third wedding anniversary in January," said an enthusiast Nikita.

This wedding season, get an e-invite

For would-be couples, e-kankotri becomes a preferred way to solicit presence of guests

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

It seems that gone are the days of a postman delivering a kankotri at your doorsteps. In the era of internet when everything is getting an e prefix, how wedding invitation cards can be an exception to the e of online strings? Now as the concept of e-kankotri is getting popular among modern marriage aspirants in Vadodara, dont be surprised if you get a wedding invitation card online this marriage season. The e-kankotri is a soft copy version of a traditional kankotri with the multimedia effects. The e-kankotri opens up with music and sound effects along with flashes and special effects and pop ups. Of course there wont be any postman or courier to deliver the e-kankotri, as it will be sent through email. The e-kankotri is just like an e-greeting cards available on different websites but it is different because it has a live and personalised effect.Many websites offer the readymade e-wedding invitation cards, just like other greeting and wishing cards. What one needs is just to enter the names in the relevant boxes and the names of invitees. Darshak Jha, a city-based web designer, says: “I have been designing one wedding invitation card for the NRG couple. Many NRIs ask for the e kankotri as it is faster and now everyone opts for the emails rather postal mails. The e-kankotri can be created with the help of different sound, flash and pop-up effects. The soft copy of card looks same as the hard copy, but its more live.” Sandip and Divya who are going to get married are opting for e-kankotri. Sandip himself is designing his wedding invitation card in form of e-kankotri. Sandip who is flying from Canada to get married to Divya of Vadodara in December, finds the concept of e-kankotri an easy way to send the wedding cards. “Most of the relatives live abroad and it is very expensive and time consuming to send the wedding cards by courier or post. Being a software engineer, I myself have designed our wedding invitation card. Unlike the hard copy, it is live with sound and flash effects.”There are also people who send the scanned copy of invitation cards to friends and relatives. Madhu Shukla, an aspirant bride, said: “Most of my friends have settled at different corners of the country and abroad. I keep in touch with them through emails; I dont know their postal address so I have opted for email for sending my wedding invitation cards.”

Diwali celebrations just a click away

Diwali-oriented websites are offering a range of festivities online

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Be it information, fun or festivity, the .com era has made the most impossible of the things possible through the ever so proliferating cyber community. So much so that even Diwali can be celebrated by simply going online and logging on to websites that offer surprisingly innovative ways to enjoy festivals.There is a virtual online world where websites focus on providing viewers with a real festival experience by way of catering news, views, interaction forum and shopping opportunities. So, while one is engaged in enjoying real-life celebrations, he can do the same by going online. Websites like Indiaoz.com, indiagiftportal.com and welcometoindia.com are some of the popular Diwali-oriented sites offering a range of festivities online.For instance, one can go online for e-Ganesha, e-Lakshmi and a host of other Diwali pujas that give users a very realistic experience of the way in which they are done. Real-life rituals are made simpler online. Click on 'online aarti' and the computer screen shows a bell and an aarti room where users can click to drag the diyas and shower flowers on their deities. Bharat Patel, an NRG in New York believes that online aartis are a good option for those living in a foreign country. "Here, it is not possible to celebrate Diwali in the way it is done in India. We don't even get an off during 'Dhanteras and 'Sharda Pujan'; besides, it is difficult to get hold of a 'pandit' to perform the rituals during Diwali. It is here that, websites like these come handy in offering satisfaction of fulfilling the customs the Indian way. In fact, one can also avoid spending a lot on buying firecrackers by surfing through these websites. One can light 'phooljhadis' and see other spectacular fireworks with both sound and light effect. Needless to mention, e-cards are also becoming a popular way of exchanging Diwali greetings.Tech-savvy youngsters in Vadodara are finding online celebrations a great fun, especially when it comes to sharing Diwali greetings with friends and relatives living abroad. Ronak Soni, a computer engineering student said, "I used online websites for greeting as well as for bursting crackers. Though the level of excitement involved in bursting online crackers is nowhere close to the real ones, it is fun, especially for NRIs."A sparkling collection of online Diwali gifts are also a click away. Bhavesh Mehta, a customer care professional of online portal said, "Virtual celebrations have become a hit. Greeting cards, gifts and pujas on websites are attracting users, especially those who are not aware of actual rituals."Forum Chhaya contributed to this report

Changa engg student develops security device

This device triggers security alarm during robbery, fire, LPG leakage & also maintains temperature

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Sunday, October 12, 2008

Harshang Shah, a student of electronics and communication engineering in Charotar institute of technology, Changa, has developed a multi sensor device (MSD) that provides security alarms on robbery, fire and LPG leakage and can also be used for temperature maintenance of air conditioners at predetermined levels.The security system has various sensors that can detect the opening of doors, windows and drawers. So when an unknown person opens the window or door of your home, thin wire installed in the door or window breaks, leading to an open circuit that sends a signal to the sensor and it starts buzzing. Various sensors like sound sensor, bump sensor, interruption sensor and temperature sensor have been designed by Shah. Sound sensors when kept in the cupboard just adjacent to the lock, acts in the same way. These devices are sensitive to even the small sound produced by as key when inserted. This sound sensor can also be placed on the floor to catch the sounds of burglar's footsteps. Bump sensors are very sensitive to even the slightest touches when placed below a doormat Harshang says, "When you are away, you just have to switch on the sensors and they start working."The interruption sensors installed in a doorway or a passage can detect any person passing through them. They work on modulated Infra Red (IR) rays that are invisible to the human eye. The proximity sensors detect the presence of a person and can be used to guard the displayed objects in an exhibition. The temperature sensor can be used in an air conditioner. It increases or decreases the room temperature according to the climate. The light sensor detects the smoke and in case of fire, the alarm on it shows the signals. The MSD developed by Harshang has also won a prize during inter college event. He said "The MSD is designed in such way that it even functions on battery during electricity failures. If a burglar attempts to cut any wire of the sensor, or tries to tamper with it, it can be detected immediately. Hence it is a fool proof system. The security status of all the sensors is displayed on the LCD. Surveillance cameras can also be connected, so the cameras can display images/ videos on a close circuit TV."The system is easy to operate. To make the technique more advanced, Harshang is planning to add more features by connecting the sensor system to internet. "If the experiment goes successful, security status of all the sensors could be accessible from anywhere in the world. I am also working to connect it to a cell phone network by placing a GSM terminal in it, so that on can get text message when a burglar is detected. It is my dream to make MSD perfectly user friendly,” Harshang told DNA.

Hacking misused to plan terror attacks

Expert shares his knowledge about ethical hacking with MSU students

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Saturday, September 20, 2008

Well-known ethical hacker Ankit Fadia was in the city on Friday for Paramarsh 2008, a three-day festival at Faculty of Engineering and Technology of MS University here.Fadia shared his knowledge about ethical hacking with students of the university. He also showed students how hacking can be misused especially by terrorists who might have used it as a tool to carry out terrorist attacks in the country. “Terrorists hacked different computer IPs and sent threatening mails before bomb blasts. It is perfect example of how hacking is misused to spread terror. Unfortunately, the police force and intelligence bureaus are not equipped to break into the system. Government needs to form a team which is well informed of the new advancements to fight cyber crime.” said Fadia.Fadia further expressed concerns over how Wi-Fi and Wimax which will be the next advancement in technology can be misused for crimes.He said, “After Wi-Fi, Wimax network will be the next advancement and security agencies in the country need to take measures against misuse of Wimax.

Wi-Fi facility in MSU soon

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara
Monday, July 21, 2008

Wi-Fi and WiMax technology will soon be used by MSU students in Vadodara. The university is planning to utilise UGC grant to bring about technical advancement through these wireless network technologies.With the network, all computers, laptops and cell phones on the university campus will get access to internet.Currently, Hansa Mehta Library of the university has the facility of wireless network technology. Now, with the plan to connect the entire university through Wi-Fi and WiMax, internet would reach every student. MSU vice-chancellor Ramesh Goyel said, "We expect to get a grant of around Rs15 crore from UGC. A large chunk of this grant will be used to provide accessibility of Wi-Fi and WiMax network on the university campus."The MSU also plans to use Rs1 crore UGC grant to set up a women's hostel. Besides, a rainwater harvesting system will also be developed in the faculty of social work, management and home science.

Net radio belts out old numbers

Eprasaran, founded by 4 Indians in the US, is a radio portal that offers live music to listeners

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Old numbers like Ajaho na aaye balma sawan beeta jay and Pavan diwani may be difficult to find at any CD rack of a music lover, but not on Eprasaran, an internet radio founded by four Indians settled in the United States.What started as a hobby two years back for the Gokhales and Vaidya couples has now evolved into an internet radio station in the form of Eprasaran providing music lovers with a wide range of old classics to latest arrivals in Bollywood. In a candid chat with DNA, Madhura Gokhale, one of the founders, said, "We started the music portal for the love of music, but then we started receiving appreciation emails not only from India but from far off countries such as Germany and Japan and requesting music to be played of their choice on the radio. We never expected it to become so popular" At present, an estimated ten thousand listeners tune in to the radio station. "Indian listeners from different corners of the globe send us copies of musical programmes and their collection requesting it to be aired on Eprasaran. We get frequent requests from listeners in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and other parts of Gujarat too," she added.Eprasaran not only caters to a wide range of musical programmes but also airs talk shows, drama, religious discourses and interviews. "Initially we started with Marathi broadcasts, but following demand of Hindi listeners, we started providing more of Hindi music," said Madhura. "With a hectic work schedule, it is difficult to create and manage radio programs, but appreciation and requests from listeners give us the inspiration to be on our toes," she added.With programmes relayed 24x7, live music is just a click away.

Youngsters fake identity online to get easy access to girls

Internet-savvy youths are increasingly creating fake identity profiles to come close to people from the opposite sex

Devanshi Joshi

Monday, June 23, 2008

The anonymity Net affords to users has for long been in debate for its convenience and misuse. Critics found its faceless interactive attributes too shady and potentially risky. As if faceless was not bad enough, now it's come down to down right cheating and misrepresentation. Users are projecting opposite genders. Chirag Prajapati (24), an employee in private firm, has two accounts in a social networking community, one with his real identity and another with a fake one. In the fake profile, Chirag is a girl working in a call centre. She is a fan of Shah Rukh Khan, loves cooking and hates flirting.He says, "I have made friends with more than 100 girls with my fake identity. I have adopted the name 'Aditi'. I created this profile seven months ago just to be friends with girls. Girls will easily trust you if you are a girl yourself rather an anonymous boy. Sometimes I approach other boys of my group too with my female profile, just to play pranks with them.""I have joined groups like 'I Love Lipstick', 'Mascara', 'Long Hair' and other girls' interest groups to give my profile a realistic touch," says Ashish Sharma, a college student who created a fake female profile to come close to his classmates. "One classmate, whom I am virtually dating online, doesn't know that I am a boy. We chat online for hours. She doesn't talk to me in class, but she is a good friend of my fake female identity. I may be cheating her, but have never crossed my limits. I am doing it for friendship with her."Another college student Hemal Patel adopted girls' profiles from networking sites to create a female identity of his own. "Most girls will easily accept you as a friend if you are a girl. You can keep yourself anonymous in the virtual world. It's fun talking to girls by assuming girl names. I have a big list of friends in my profile, some of whom are known people while some are 'net friends' who know me as a girl," says Hemal.Talking of the amusing experience he is going through, Rishi Shah (23), an IT firm employee, says, that sometime ago, he created a profile named 'Suhasini' and pasted an attractive girl's picture as his. “A lot of people would call up my cell phone number asking for Suhasini, and I would have to fake the conversation saying 'she was away and would call back later, or things like 'she was away at Ooty with her boyfriend, call her when she breaks up'. A lot of friends too are using such fake profiles posing as girls."Psychologist Dr Vishwamohan Thakur says, "Boys create fake female profiles with the intention to come closer to a girl. In online world, they are able to hide their identity. But it can be dangerous, for one doesn't know when a person is up to serious mischief. Everybody needs to be cautious about whom they are interacting online and know how far to go."(Names have been changed on request)

IT professionals from the state returning to roots

Increasing career opportunities, investment in IT make state attractive destination
Devanshi Joshi.Ahmedabad/DNA
Wednesday, June 04, 2008

A large number of IT professionals from Gujarat have started returning, as they believe that the career growth opportunities in the state are improving significantly. Many of Gujarati technocrats who for years worked in cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai have started shifting their base back to their home state.Hiten Barot, the executive director of Creative Infocity Ltd, said, "Opportunities are not opening up for only a crunch of experienced techies but also for freshers who can cater to the needs of IT companies in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Vadodara. About 1500-2000 IT professionals have already shifted their base from other IT hubs of India to Gujarat as the state is offering growth opportunities." Increasing work opportunities, higher growth of IT investments in addition to economic cost of living and better society are the reasons that are attracting IT professionals to return to their home state.After working for six months in Delhi, Keyur Shah, shifted to the state and works as a project engineer with an IT firm of Gandhinagar. "I moved to Gujarat as my family lives here. The package I get here is 15-20% less than the package I was getting in Delhi but I am fine with that as the cost of living is also cheaper here. Besides, I derive the satisfaction of working in my home state." Dhaval Kapadia, a prospect analyst of Vadodara-based MNC shifted recently from Bangalore. Dhaval said, "MNCs are coming up in Gujarat. Moreover, I have been offered the same package I was getting earlier." Hardik joshi, a system engineer left Pune after working for five years there with an MNC. "When I started my career, opportunities were not enough in the state but Gujarat has made a rapid growth in the past two years. Homely environment coupled with a low cost of living are the major reasons of my return to the state."Rajan vasa, president of Gujarat Electronics & Software Industries Association (GESIA), said, " Many people went out of the state few years back because of the lack of opportunities here. However, now they are coming back as they are getting similar pay packages and good quality life compared to what other metros offer."

Students see virtue in virtual information

Students prefer online communities for guidance on career issues as they are easily accessible

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA

Students are increasingly turning to online communities for reliable information about different institutes and courses, and even for dependable advice on various careers. Ruchika Sarda, 21, a resident of Thaltej wanted to study design at National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. He was plagued by doubts about her choice of career and also by many questions such as how to enroll at the institute, how to make a portfolio, and how to prepare for the studio test. All her doubts were cleared online and questions answered when she began interacting with a virtual community of NID students. She followed community members' advice in her preparations for the NID and had no trouble getting admission to the prestigious institute. "I came to know some senior NID students through the community who gave me valuable advice on many aspects of the course and also told me how to prepare for admission to the institute," Ruchika said. "Their counselling made me well informed and gave me the confidence I desperately needed." Given the large number of career options available before students today, particularly Class XII graduates, it is important that they get correct information and correct advice on various courses and institutes. Online communities prove extremely useful because information and advice offered by a community member almost always gets cross-checked by views of other members. Incorrect or inadequate information gets corrected or updated. Sunny Waghela, a resident of Paldi who has just graduated in engineering from Nirma University (NU), is seeking out and collecting information on the US universities which offer advanced programmes in his subject of specialisation. "It is important to have correct information about courses and universities in the US because a mistake may prove costly later. Many NU graduates are currently studying at different US universities. Some are studying at universities where I, too, want to go for higher studies," said Waghela. "I don't know these students personally but I have received valuable information from them, too, as they are members of different online campus communities of various US universities. Using these virtual communities and student forums, I have reliable information on the fee structure, accommodation, admission procedure and other details about various universities." Students turn to online communities because they are not satisfied with the information provided by official websites. This information, they say, is 'one-sided'. Online counselling, on the other hand, provides 'two-way communication'. Since advice and information available on online communities come from diverse sources, students say the communities are more dependable as career counsellors. Prof DV Dewani, an educational counsellor, said, "Students prefer the views of alumni and students of the institutes they want to join. Online communities can offer reliable information as they enable prospective students to establish direct contact with campus communities."