~ Reinvention doesn't always help, unless it's better ~

The author nails it on the head *Apple, you really shouldn’t mess with things that work.* That suggestion applies to any company or any individual.

Unless you can improvise an existing product or service for better functionality then why even bother venturing into it. Apple could be doing that for strategic business reasons, which most of us know:

1. Reduce dependency with Google or Google products
2. Youtube being the first
3. Maps being the next
4. Siri's dependency on Google's Search API is reducing
5. Thermonuclear war ;)

The consumer will / should always be the king. They deserve better products or services for the money they pay. Today after many users upgrading their devices to iOS6, loyal iPhone users have been complaining about the home grown Maps app by Apple.

Most products or services get better with time. There is lot of ideation, time & energy that goes into product iterations before seeing the light and being accepted by end users. Am sure Apple is gonna turn around and address these trivial burning issues.

However, what appears strange is how can the quality of software deteriorate from an Apple stable. If your next question is why are so many people complaining much for just one app? Well maps is an app which has daily usage by many - for turn-by-turn navigation, finding public transport, etc. Also, Apple has always set the bar high be it - UX, Product Design, Innovation, Ideation, even Project Management. (How do I know about PM? I have been lucky to work with Apple on their Developer Forums community in 2008). When you have set the bar so high, it's natural that people notice the flaws when they are using them.

If Google releases their native Maps app for iOS, then it would be great to see how many users would prefer it over the pre-bundled app.

If I Were Google, I Wouldn’t Release A Native iOS 6 Maps App For Six Months

New Apple maps app under fire from users

The Irish government isn’t happy with Apple’s Maps – this ‘airfield’ isn’t an airfield at all

The Apple iOS 6 Maps are amazing. Not.

Just Googled for the title of this post & found Jeff Atwood's  post - Don't Reinvent The Wheel, Unless You Plan on Learning More About Wheels - written in 2009. Makes a good read.

Updates: 

25 Sep 2012 
Has Apple Peaked?

29 Sep 2012 
Tim Cook's apology
Tim Cook's apology shows that Apple cares, but still needs to fix problem

~ Visual Journey ~

Discovered the documentary 'Baraka' by Mark Magidson & Ron Fricke after watching the trailer of Samsara.

I curious to know how they shoot their documentaries. Don't think their subjects know they are being filmed. The reason I state that is due to the fact, none of the subjects react; they just continue with their chores - be it smoking in a railway station, someone enjoying ice-cream, taking bath, etc.

Most of the sequences are shot as if a camera is suspended in air and self-recording those moments. Watch the documentary 'Baraka' to know what I mean.

~ Mind at work ~

You know yourself best. So, figure out where you stand & where you want to be.

Make the necessary changes to your daily deeds to reach there.

~ Late to the '4G' party ~

As I was going through the launch of EE in the British Isles, came across this section { http://ee.co.uk/#section-4gee}and noticed that I don't see an iPhone in the advt. 

Strangely, Apple for once is late to arrive on the 4G scene. With 25 hours to go for the launch of iPhone 5 & Apple to introduce it as the yet another amazing iPhone. Let's see where the battle of smartphones will go.

I feel the hype-cycle for smartphones, tablets & mobile OS is passé, which has reached saturation level for many OEMs. Hope this launch will not trigger another round of battle. Been reading these rumors y'day - Samsung will reportedly sue Apple over LTE use on iPhone 5 

The goal of technology should be more of an enabler / catalyst to make our lives comfortable, than anything else.

On a side-note, Naveen is very happy with EE launch :{

Update: 

Viewpoint: Apple's iPhone launches no longer excite

~ H+ ~

Don't worry it ain't another Social Network competing with Facebook or Google+. Rather it is a new Digital Series from Warner Brothers. The series is available on Youtube & new episodes released every Wednesday.

The theme revolves around the following subjects - nano tech + networked world + social media + augmented reality + life + evolution. Looks interesting after watching couple of episodes. Take a look at the trailer & if you have the bandwidth then stream it.



You can subscribe to the series here. Wish in the future all of them move away from popular channels and put their content on Youtube / Vimeo.

Via: G+ post. Another reason why I choose to be on G+, where I come across diverse content.

~ Little Bangalore ~

Everyone has their own place which they feel comfortable living & call home. Bangalore, is the city which I call home.

People of Bangalore have been warm to people from many different states of India & other nationalities. The recent incidents on North Eastern people is more political driven (or manipulated) than an act by the citizen of the city. I hope those who have known the locals would very much know the difference.

It's probably in the air & culture of those who are born here with a motto of - live and let live. Otherwise how else would you find Kannadigas (people from the native state) being minority in the state capital. Not really sure where have all the locals disappeared, but here is a beautiful Tilt-Shift styled video of Chikka Bengaluru / Little Bangalore.

~ Illegal Aliens ~

If I have to visit any country on this planet, either for work or pleasure I need a passport and an appropriate visa.

But that rule isn't applicable to the country on the far east - Bangladesh. The very country which was liberated by us as East Pakistan is causing a near civil war in India. People from Bangladesh have been entering and leaving the country at will. Since, we cannot easily differentiate the race, they can easily pass off as Indians. They have settled in various parts of the country; pre-dominantly in the Assam, West Bengal, North Eastern States & most recently Kerala.

Instead of asking fellow Indians (i.e. people from north east) to move from various cities across India back to North East. Why can't the Government of India or State Governments take any action against the illegal immigrants (Bangladeshis) & deport them back to their country?

Why can't Indian government deal with such large scale illegal settlers in our country rather than witness their own citizens fight amongst themselves?

We become laughing stock for all such governance issues. Congress has been the main culprit over the years in using these illegal settlers for vote bank politics. They are equally communal as the BJP. Being pseudo-secular is a bigger threat to the country. Both of these political parties have been using Religion for their own agenda of gaining power.

I hope the citizens of India - irrespective of which religion you follow or not follow. COUNTRY comes before RELIGION. If an Muslim is killed in Myanmar (Burma) then you don't attack Buddhists in India. If an Hindu is killed or abducted in Pakistan then you don't attack Muslims in India.

Killing anyone for that matter is a crime and should not be tolerated. That's just isn't correct; whether you belong to any religion or not.

I hope some common sense prevails in these mind-less attacks in the name of RELIGION. Illegal immigrants are illegal no matter which religion or country you represent. FYI, Tibetans who have been given Asylum aren't illegal.

Thought process started from this post.

Some more fodder:
Bangladeshis in India - aliens or muslims?
Illegal immigration in India
Illegal Bangladeshi Immigration: People Take the Mantle When the Government Gives Up
I don't care if you are a Muslim
The-illegal-bangladeshi-immigrant-do-the-bogeyman-numbers-add-up-
India's 'Mexican' Problem: Illegal Immigration from Bangladesh
Illegal Bangladeshi Migration to India: Impact on Internal Security
Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants threat to India: court
Illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, a big problem: Government
Manufacturing Muslim rage, generating vile hate
How Pakistani site incited Muslims in India against northeasterners
‘Pak Muslims destroy our temples and abduct our women’