Friday, November 14, 2008

MAKE-ME-HAPPY TECH-KNOW-LOGY

Simple things make me happy. Sure they do – a bar of fruit-and-nut chocolate, a head massage, crisp clothes dried in sunlight, a cuddle from the kids, appreciation from…you get the drift?

But complex things make me happy, too. Especially if they come in small packages. Especially if they click photos/play music/ring alarms/keep reminders and, of course, take and make phonecalls.

I’ve got myself a new phone. Not an extravagance, but an essentiality (both, actually). My last phone, a cute white-and-red Nokia, was ruthlessly kid-handled. You know what kid-handling does to a phone, don’t you? The back cover was cracked, the alarm stopped ringing, the phone would ring only whimsically (this got me into a lot of trouble from the spouse…as many of his calls would go unanswered, simply because the obdurate instrument refused to ring). And, as it was a slide model, my young little copy-kitten would slide and unlock it and merrily send blank calls and sms-es to as many people as possible before I managed to wrestle it away from her.

So my Nokia 5200 had to retire. And perhaps nothing is as devalued and depreciated as a retired mobile phone. Even old newspapers offer better value for money.

But, I’m a heartless employer. I’ve already got over the earlier phone and am now totally in awe of my new Nokia. Ah, the wonders of science…how happy it can make us if it wants to!

Only thing is – technology is also tech-KNOW-logy, and I’m yet to KNOW my new NO-kia. The various daunting extras with the phone (the, er, USB, earphones and another wire which I’ve yet to decipher) and the even-more-daunting literature (at least 5 manuals of various thickness in English and another one in a foreign language – all Greek and gobbledygook to me) are a challenge I’m yet to crack. I can make and take calls and send and read sms-es and also take photos, but that's about it. The higher stages of tech-happiness I've yet to attain.

Ah, technology – the kingdom of bliss open only to the initiated…unfortunately, at the moment, I’m loitering outside the gates of paradise, waiting for an angel to guide me to the promised N-joyment of the N-series.

9 comments:

Lazyani said...

You have just had a trip to your nostalgia laden Kolkata. You have got a new latest technology-laden Nokia phone.

You are having a great run of good times,lady. Enjoy and don't worry about things which would unravel itself to you automatically over a period of time.

Nancy said...

Ah, TechKNOWlogy! Wonderful!
My brother in law who was virtually (ha ha) in on the invention of computers (don't we all have a brother in law like that?) advised "don't be afraid of your computer. Look at kids. They're not afraid, they'll click anything and press anything. That's how they learn." He especially advised right-clicking things.

So my advice is, chuck the manuals and hand the phone over to the kiddies. Maybe you'd better promise them a treat if they don't break it. Fifteen minutes later, ask for the phone back and then ask "how do I do _______?" They'll be all over it.

P.S. Uploading a picture into your blog header is easy. When you are composing a post, look up near the top of the template and you'll see "Layout" (or possibly "Template"). Click that, then click "Edit" at the long strip at the top that says "Header." That will raise the pop up window allowing you to upload a photo, from your computer or the web. Click the "Shrink to fit" button before uploading. When it's in, click "save" and you should be done.

Sucharita Sarkar said...

Hi Lazyani.
U R right, I sure do count my blessings...and touchwood (virtually).

Hi Nancy,
My younger one is responsible for breaking the previous phone, so I'm not too keen on handing this one to them. Also thanks a lot for the template-tip.

June Saville said...

Sucharita
Technology can be a double-edged sword - unless you're determined to remain the boss.
I say use it to make one's life simpler and not more complicated ...
June in Oz

pradipwritenow said...

Every thing has its own life and a death timely or untimely, death by killing,suicide or accidents. Your Phone falls in the last category. But what about that turmoil that one suffers after the expiry of near and dear ones? Someone accidently took away my pen and I literally wept for it. It is the age old pen, the pen when I touch acts as an antena and the characters that I saw in my dream start speaking to me in all kind of whispers. So my writting is stopped but I hope to get it back. In the dream of last siesta I heard from my pen " The person who shall come to meet you and shall ask for soap to wash his ink-smeared face and hand." I said "How are you sure?" That person is greedy too. That Character likes your cookings" Just now I got up from siesta, the aroma of chicken roast outside my tent, pulled me up. While taking food I scratched my bald head. The two types living creatures are my permanant guests, The hyenas down the valley and the gentle man (mail peon)from Raipur who brings the large rolled paper for the map-plotter. Both are to arive some hours later.The peon in the late afternoon and hyenas after the midnight. Let me see wh gives me back my pen and relieve me from pain. Have you ever been in such trouble when your dear things vanishes or expire timely or untimely.

Ekta said...

aaah..wer all heartless technology freaks!:-)
enjoy ur new phone!

Sucharita Sarkar said...

hi June and ekta,

Thanks, I'll use my phone/sword with appropriate caution/enjoyment.

hi Pradip,

Welcome to my blog...I find your writing totally surreal and do hope you find your fave pen ASAP, before the hyenas get into your dream.

Jaquanda Rae said...

Thanks mi love for your kind words.

Sucharita Sarkar said...

Hi Jaquanda,

honey, you deserve it. Your selective and special posts are worth every award and appreciation they get. LOL.