[Book Review] Jasmine Builds on Shifting Sands: A Self-help Fiction

 

I recently bought this book copy for a read and review.

Name: [Book Review] Jasmine Builds on Shifting Sands: A Self-help Fiction

Author: Sanjay Desai

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaydesailink/

On the web you can find the book at the publishers site at https://theconsciousleap.com/JasmineBuildsOnShiftingSands

Front Cover Language: English

Publisher: ConsciousLeap Insights Private Limited

Length: 160 pages

Year: 2020

My Overall Rating: 4 on 5

About Sanjay: Author of this book is Mr. Sanjay Desai. He is an alumnus of IIM Bangalore and is the founder and CEO of ConsciousLeap, a life skills training company that helps people to guide through their pursuit of dreams and success by cultivating self-awareness through interactive programs and workshops.

About the Book from the author:

Who is the book meant for?

This book is suitable for all age groups. Anyone on a path to achieve their dreams should definitely read this book to spur self-reflection and contemplation about their journey. It is also meant for people who are looking to set their goals and overcome obstacles or failures.

How to use the book?

This is a unique interactive book that allows you to reflect on your own success journey through exciting interactive e-courses, while you immerse yourself with Jasmine’s life. When you read the story, look out for QR Codes to experience a parallel journey to your success and unlock your true potential by learning more about yourself.

Review – So moving on the review, the next book that I have could get both my eyes and hands on to was “Jasmine Builds on Shifting Sands: A Self-help Fiction”. These days indeed most titles are very catchy and this one definitely stands out!

Before I begin with the review, let me start by saying that I have read umpteen books on self improvement motivation etc. This is the first time I had a book written by Sanjay Desai in my hands. I started reading with mixed feelings not knowing what to expect.  

At the centre of the book is Jasmine's (chief protagonist) journey of making it as a successful model in the cut-throat world of fashion. This is her tale of victory and failure.  Through this journey of ups and downs one gets a realistic view on how life plays out for most of us. Sanjay has to his credit highlighted the need to have ‘anchors’ or ‘mentors’ or whatever else we may chose to call them.

Through a hybrid learning, Sanjay intends us to discover the following:

• Declutter your mind - Keep negativity at bay and gain more clarity
• Reach Clarity for your goals - Focus, prioritise, and keep your eye on the prize
• Take charge of your dreams - Become the master of your journey
• Learn to Configure Outcomes - Chart out your own path to success

All of the above is coupled with the following bottom line message from Sanjay:

As the world copes with the impact of a global pandemic, uncertainty continues to plague us. Despite it all, Jasmine is here to tell you that it is possible to rise to the top, even when everything seems to be going against you. Fulfil your dreams and manifest your desires - don’t let the world derail you from achieving your goals. Jasmine did it, and so can you

Overall, the book is an easy and a great read. The key message has been presented very clearly. I would recommend this to everyone.  As always, you read, you decide.

You can buy the book from the following links:

Amazon
Flipkart

 

Lenovo Smart Display 7 with the Google Assistant Review

Summary - Good Smart Display & speaker, but could have been way better!

In a recent sale, I bought two of these at INR 9999/-. Here is a quick

This is a Display (7 inch) + Speaker with inbuilt Google Assistant that responds through an always on microphone. Since it is a 7 inch screen, it is quite compact. 

[Book Review] Irrationally Passionate: My Turnaround from Rebel to Entrepreneur by Jason Kothari

Pic Credit-Publisher Website

I recently bought a Kindle eBook copy of this one for a read and review.

Name: [Book Review] Irrationally Passionate: My Turnaround from Rebel to Entrepreneur 

Author: Jason Kothari

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkothari/

On the web you can find the book at the publishers site at https://harpercollins.co.in/product/irrationally-passionate/

Front Cover Language: English

Publisher: Harper Collins

Length: 268 pages

Year: 2020

My Overall Rating: 4 on 5

About Jason: Jason Kothari is an entrepreneur considered by many as a business turnaround leader. Jason to his credit has worked in many critical functions and roles across the globe and was responsible for multiple turnarounds. While still in college(Wharton), he acquired the bankrupt US-based Valiant Entertainment and led its transformation as the CEO to the third-largest superhero entertainment company after Marvel and DC and further went on to sell it for around $100 million.

Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

I recently got a copy of this book for a read.

Author: Mark Manson

On the web you can find him at https://markmanson.net

Front Cover Language: English

Publisher: Harper Collins

Length: 224 pages

Year: 2017

So, the next book that I could get both my eyes and hands on to was the “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life” by Mark Manson. What a catchy title! As it so happened this time too when I picked up the book, I said to myself that I will not be writing any book review. However, I will rate the reasons in the review as to why I decided to write this review and share with the everyone.

Before I begin with the review, let me start by saying that this is the first time I had a book written by Mark Manson in my hands. He is a well known personality.

The female Orgasm: By Numbers

This is a forward that i got and it got me hooked completely.



PS: I have not made this i donot claim ownership. All rights rest with the maker. I hope that i am not violating any copyright rules. If there is a copyright violation please let me know and i will remove it.

Gaming heaven in India..Naahh..now a reality!

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How many of us have seen dedicated gaming heavens in India? I can wager that the number would be less than handful. Why? Hmm…primarily because there isn’t one gaming heaven in India that can be compared to the ones present at western countries. All that we have here in India are those old, obsolete machines adjacent to food courts in almost every other mall. But, even they manage to be attractive and are a money minter for mall authorities.

Now comes the good news. All this will soon fade away and be a thing of the past. I was surfing online and came across this article at the gamingindians.com, which talks about this new gaming zone that has come up at Chennai. It is called “Blur”. This largely untapped segment of World class gaming zones is tapped by “Sathyam Cinemas” which has launched “Blur – India’s finest Gaming Zone”. Blur is a massive gaming lounge spread out over 15,000 square feet at the Sathyam Complex in Chennai.

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Blur’s Hardware of Choice:

Any guesses?

Blur offers almost every conceived Hardware platform…Meant Only for Gaming Connoisseurs.

It has everything from PS3s to XBox 360s to Nintendo Wiis to PS2s to PCs to Sony PSPs to Nintendo DSs to Arcades to fully loaded PCs…Do you want more???

Other options at Blur (as if we’ll need it):

Here’s more.

They have a funky looking Blur café where you can satiate your taste buds.

The great guys at Blur are thinking of adding the following options:

# Bowling Alley: The two lane bowling alley is stated to open in the second week of November.

# Retail Store: Merchandise, Games and Hardware including Wii.

# PSPs to game with while waiting for your food at the Blur cafe

# Online Gaming

# Gaming Tournaments, game launches, gaming parties and industry interactions.

# Interact with other gamers on the Blur website

This is a lot of options. What do u say??

Blur’s Offerings:

Xbox 360

Forza 2
Top spin 2
Halo 3
PGR3
Yuvraj Cricket 07
Burnout Paradise
NFS Prostreet
NBA street
Gears of war
Smackdown vs Raw 2008
Call of duty 3
Grid
Euro 2008
Fifa 2008
Saints Row 2
Stuntman Ignition
FIFA 09
FABLE II
DEAD SPACE
BURN OUT REVENGE
Midnight Club Loas Angeles

Playstation 3

Metal gear solid 4
Fifa street 3
Nba street
Fifa 09
F1 Championship
UEFA Euro 2008
Motorstorm
Burnout paradise
Saints Row 2
PGA Tour 08
The orange box Grand tourismo
Resistance: fall of man
The simpsons game
The godfather
Uncharted Drakes Fortune
Heavenly Sword
Devil May Cry 4

Nintendo Wii

Resident evil
Guitar hero
Super smash brawls
Super mario galaxy
Smooth moves
Monster trux arenas
Mario strikers
WII sports
WII play
Top spin 3 Mario kart

PC

Grid
Command & Conquer: Kanes Wrath
Call Of Duty 2
Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 5 (should be installed by Friday)
Company Of Heroes
Crysis
Crysis : Warhead
Pirates
Hitman Blood Money
Command & Conquer: Tiberium Wars
FIFA 08
NFS Most Wanted Black Edition
EA Sports Cricket 07
FIFA 09

Review Casio G-Shock GWN-1000B-1BDR(G530) Gulf Master Men's Watch

I was searching for my next Casio watch and while going through the pros and cons of the various series including the one Protek that i had bought in 2013 and few others, I fell head over heels in love with the Gulf Master G530. That is when my search for reviews on the same started and I was initially surprised and later on appalled to see that there were barely any reviews that were specific to India and Indian conditions of harsh summers/winters. So here is my review of the watch for everyone who is a G-Shock fan and who are looking for a hands on user review.

Before I begin my review let me share the basic details about the watch. The GULFMASTER,  G-SHOCK Series is designed and engineered with the maritime adventurer in mind. GULFMASTER includes the first G-SHOCK models to incorporate both Triple Sensor Version 3 and Smart Access in the same watch. In addition to barometric pressure, altitude, bearing, and temperature readings, these new models also feature Tide Graph and Moon Age capabilities to help keep you in close touch with your natural environment. Sudden extreme changes in barometric pressure are alerted using a dial hand, LCD display, and alarm. Double LED lighting illuminates the LCD, and also adds a face light at 6 o’clock to keep information bright and easy to read even in total darkness. The designs of these watches have been modeled after the look of shipboard instruments to create an attractive marine look.

The model number for the Indian watch is GWN-1000B-1. 

MRP: ₹ 32,995 (incl. of all taxes)

Indian Product Code： G530

Size of case : 44.9×55.8×16.2mm
Total weight : 101g  

Case / bezel material: Resin / Stainless steel
Resin Band
Shock Resistant
Mineral Glass
200-meter water resistance 

The New Dewtas : The Rise of Rudra by Suraj Kothiyal - A Review

I recently got a copy of this book from the writer himself Suraj Kothiyal for a read and review.

On the web you can find him at https://surajkothiyal.com/.

Author - Suraj Kothiyal
Publisher - Leadstart Publishing Services Pvt Ltd (2018)
Pages - 222 pages
Price - 249/- INR

The author, Suraj Kothiyal, hails from Dehradun with his family roots belonging to the Himalya region. He has done his schooling from Dehradun. He has done his mechanical engineering and his MBA in marketing from Maharashtra. The blurb and sample chapters can be found here - https://amzn.to/2AuZmEb. You can also have a look at the book trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVzrBuJzt2I

This book is inspired by a popular folklore in Bali that talks of a Hindu saint namely, Maharishi Markandeya, who came to Bali from India and introduced Hinduism on the scenic island.

Moving on with the review: 

When i first heard of this book, the first thought that I had in my mind was "What!! Another book on Indian Mythology". I must say when I picked this up for a read I was of the opinion that this book may just bore me with things that I already know or donot want to know more about.

Parikrama By Radhika Vyas Sharma a Book Review

I recently got this book for review from Leadstart  Publishing. The link for the same on Leadstarts website is following:

http://www.leadstartcorp.com/short-stories/parikrama/

This book is also available on Amazon - http://amzn.to/2nBm8Ds

and Flipkart - https://www.flipkart.com/parikrama/


Pages: 181
Type: Paperback
Genre: Fiction
Author: Radhika Vyas Sharma
Price: INR 195

Radhika Vyas Sharma is the author of Parikrama. Radhika’s writing credits include The Santa Clara Review, The San Francisco Chronicle, The San Jose Mercury News, The SoMa Literary Review, The Times of India, The Economic Times, India Currents, Khabar, Rediff-India Abroad, Little India, In the Fray.com, KQED FM’s Forum, Perspectives and Pacific Time, Curled Up With a Good Book.com among others. Currently at work on a novel, Radhika has volunteered for several nonprofits in the San Francisco Bay area over the past decade. Radhika and her family reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. (source: http://www.radhikavsharma.com/index.php/about-us)

Samsung S8 Plus (128GB) Update in India

As of this moment my Samsung S8 plus is downloading a whooping 600MB update. I checked yesterday and didnot see this update on the phone (OTA). Could this be Android 7.1.1? Keeping fingers crossed for a Indian Independence Day surprise by Samsung India!!!

Samsung A9 Pro - Update India

I am glad to announce to all Samsung A9 Pro users in India that there is an approximately 147MB large update that is rolling out to all the qualified handsets. Yes, this update can be downloaded Over the Air (OTA).

I am as of writing this blog updating the handset. I will update this blog with further updates on how this will go and the change log. The Samsung pushed changed log said performance improvements.

Let us see what it is. Fingers crossed for Nougat.

Review - Acer Aspire E5-553-T4PT Notebook (NX.GESSI.003)( APU Quad Core A10/4 GB RAM/1 TB HDD/Windows 10)

I had taken a long pause from blogging and i have been feeling guilty all this while. So here I am back without much ado.

Today I am going to review the following laptop:

Acer Aspire E5-553-T4PT Notebook (NX.GESSI.003) (APU Quad Core A10/4 GB RAM/1 TB HDD/Windows 10)

I bought this from Amazon India at the following url: http://amzn.to/2i7ZSjc. It is also  available on Flipkart at this url: Acer E5-553-T4PT

By the way, I am not associated with either AMD or Acer India. This is my independent, unbiased review.

Why I started with a review of this laptop and the initial few things that prompted me to write this review are:
1) Incorrect Specifications on the product page at Amazon India
2) Lack of the details of this model on Acer website
3) Incredible performance of this laptop (especially at this pricepoint)

The sales package contains the following:
1) Aspire E5-553-T4PT Notebook with Lithium Ion Battery
2) AC Adapter
3) No OS CD (Why Acer could you not have provided a restore OS CD)
4) No Laptop Bag (I dont crave for it as it is anyways at a very economical pricepoint)

This laptop carries the model no - E5-553-T4PT & Part Number: NX.GESSI.003.

So let me address the first things first. I will start with the specifications and for reference the correct Data sheet for this laptop is http://www.acer.com/datasheets/2016/4876/E5-553/NX.GESSI.003.html.

Processor - AMD APU Quad Core A10 9600P (this is a 7th Gen AMD processor, just launched in mid 2016)
RAM - 4 GB DDR4 RAM (yes yes its a DDR4 RAM! Yaay)
OS - 64 bit Windows 10 Operating System (yes legit OS)
HDD - 1 TB HDD (its a 5400 rpm laptop drive)
Optical Drive - Optical drive 8x DVD R/W (provides extra bay to replace the same with an additional HDD)
Graphics - AMD integrated graphics - Radeon R5 Graphics
Display - 15.6 inch Display 1366x768 WXGA resolution (Yes it is nothing to write home about, but still looks good)
USB Type C port -  Yes it is there (i have not seen any laptop at this price point provide this port)
Price - Approximately INR 25000/- (cant think of all the features provided by any brand at this price in India)
Warranty - On registering on Acer India website got an offer to upgrade the existing carry in warranty to the following:
1) New warranty upgrade to Accidental Damage Protection (ADP)
2) Free upgrade to 2nd and 3rd year warranty
All the above at INR 900/- inclusive of all taxes, extra payment by me (this is mind blowing. Anything like this for HP/Dell/Lenovo would have easily costed me INR 5000/- to 10,000/-.

WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Disk (Black) Review

The WD Elements Portable drive offers a large amount of storage space for a low cost. You have to pay extra to use its included backup software after the 30-day trial. The drive has no security features at all and carries a warranty of just one year. Also, on the inside, it houses a low-power standard laptop hard drive that spins at just 5,400rpm. 

Conclusion: This is a fast, easy-to-use and versatile portable drive that can effortlessly add a lot more storage, not just to computers but also game consoles and other types of USB-enabled hosts. If you don't plan on using it to store sensitive data, this is an excellent drive to choose. On the other hand, if keeping your data safe from prying eyes in case of loss or theft is a big concern, then this is not the drive for you.

If you are confused between the various models offered i.e. WD Elements Portable (this model) or the WD My Passport Ultra, then few basic differences are following:

This is a great piece of hardware!


1) My Passport Ultra incorporates a hardware encryption, and WD Elements does not
2) Ultra is thinner and comes with a longer warranty (3 years) vs compared to Elements which as 1 year warranty
3) Elements is entry level hard disk of western digital. My passport ultra is the advance and compact type of hard disk.
Elements  My passport Ultra
Hardware Encryption: No  Hardware Encryption: Yes
Cloud/Dropbox: No  Cloud/Dropbox: Yes
Software Back Up: No  Software Back Up: Yes
Auto Data Synchronization: No  Auto Data Synchronization: Yes

You may buy the WD Elements in India from the following websites:
Amazon-http://amzn.to/2hjZXyY
Flipkart: https://www.flipkart.com/wd-elements-2-5-inch-2-tb-external-hard-drive/p/itmdp6ppvaxaqhch
Snapdeal: https://www.snapdeal.com/product/wd-2tb-elements-usb-30/1457692
Paytm: https://paytm.com/shop/p/wd-elements-2-5-inch-2-tb-external-hard-disk-black-wd_elements_2tb_black_169

Samsung S5 Exynos Version Lollipop update now rolling out in India

I am writing to confirm the roll out of Lollipop update for Samsung S5 model in India which has Exynos processor. I got the update on 20th March 2015 at 9:00pm IST.

The update size is 874.21 MB and as expected is an OTA update. The entire process was very quick and the update after downloading took 20-25 minutes to get the phone running on Lollipop.

Thank you Samsung for such a delayed roll out! (Saturday is sarcasm day).

The phone feels faster even with the same amount of RAM utlization.

Google Play Store India - Free Movie - The Lord of The Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring

I just noticed a free offer from Google Play Store in India. The offer is of the movie " The Lord of The Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring". The movie is available for download as a HD or a SD format download. Here is a screenshot of the same. You may google the same.

The link for the same is here:

https://play.google.com/store/movies/collection/promotion_4000cb1_holiday_movies?hl=en

Google Chromecast India Launch on 10th Dec 2014?

Image courtesy http://www.google.co.in/chrome/devices/chromecast/

As per some tech sites that are popular in India, Google Chromecast will be launched in India on 10th December 2014. This is also going to be the launch of GOSF 2014 in India.

Google Chromecast which was launched in US in 2013 is basically a digital media player developed by Google. Chromecast was announced on July 24, 2013, and made available for purchase on the same day in the United States.

Some popular Indian tech sites such as iGyaan, Androids, Intellect Digest are all saying they have exclusive information that the chromecast will be launched for Indian audience and officially by google and will be available for sale through Snapdeal. Intellect Digest goes on to say that the device sold by snapdeal will be the official device and will carry warranty in India. This is good news to lot of Indians who have been shipping products from US to India with no local support.

Let us see if the claims are indeed correct.

Review - LG 47LA6200 119 cm (47) LED TV (Full HD, 3D, Smart)

I bought this model from a store in Vashi (Navi Mumbai) in July 2014. After a good 4 months of usage, I decided to pen down the salient features and quick review of this model for the benefit of the larger audience.

For starters this is a 2013 model (LG LA 6200) and the 2014 model is called LB6200 which has a slightly higher refresh rate and costs about 10,000 INR more. I demoed both the LA6200 (2013 model) and LB6200 (2014 model). To my surprise i could not find any difference in quality. I tested both the non 3d and 3d features. The link to the official website is LG India.

Some of the salient feature of this model are following:

• 119 cm (47) LED Display
• Full HD, 1920 x 1080
• IPS Panel
• 3D TV
• Smart TV
• Smart Share (NFC Tag ON, Miracast™ , MHL, 2^nd Display)
• 3 x HDMI, 
• 3 x USB
• Built-in Wi-Fi, Ethernet
• Refresh Rate - 60 Hz Motion Rate
• Magic Remote with Voice Recognition
• Comfortable, flicker free, battery free 3D glasses - 4 pieces
• Time Machine with recording feature
• Premium Content

The sales package contains "TV Unit, 4 Basic 3D Glasses, Magic Remote (MR13), Conventional Remote".

Acer Iconia W4-820 Tablet (64 GB, Wi-Fi) Review (updated with pics)

I bought this tablet in the month of May from Flipkart. At that time i got a great price offer and also got the cover free with it.

Now that I have used this tablet for over 6 months, i thought of writing a quick review.


The model that this review is talking about is Acer Iconia W4-820 Tablet (64 GB, Wi-Fi). Its official page at Acer India website is Acer Iconia India . Quick specifications for the same are following:

• Windows 8.1
• 4th Gen Intel Atom Z3740 Quad-core 1.33 GHz Processor
• 20.3 cm (8") WXGA (1280 x 800) LCD display
• Wi-Fi
• 2 GB RAM
• 64 GB Flash Memory (internal Solid state drive)
• 2 Megapixel Front Camera
• 5 Megapixel Back Camera
• microSD card slot - support upto 128GB
• Includes Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013
• One micro USB port
• One HDMI port
• Sensors: eCompass, Gyro Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Accelerometer

Review - God is a Gamer by Ravi Subramanian

Author: Ravi Subramanian

Language: English

Length: 324 pages

Publisher: Penguin Books India 

Price: INR 299

Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Literature & Fiction
Teaser on Youtube:



Ravi Subramanian is considered to be one of new, young India's finest thriller writers. He has written six bestselling books till date and this book (God is a Gamer) is his seventh book. What a conincidence since Chetan Bhagat's latest book takes him to seven books in total and likewise for Ravi.

Anyways  to give a brief, he is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management (Bangalore) and is currently the head of a leading financial institution.  A career banker and financial services professional, Ravi has worked with several multinational banks. As a result of his extensive background in banks, writing about banking comes quite naturally to Ravi. Each one of his books thus far have been set in the backdrop of a foreign bank and this book is again all about banking and money.


I say what better way to make money than to write fiction about others making money. :-)

Review Half GirlFriend - Chetan Bhagat

Author: Chetan Bhagat V
Language: English
Length: 268 pages
Publisher: Rupa Publication India
Link From Authors website: http://www.chetanbhagat.com/books/half-girlfriend/
Price: INR 176
Teaser Campaign on Youtube:


As far as my knowledge goes, this is the seventh book by Chetan Bhagat. A brief background about him as written on his website.

"Chetan Bhagat is the author of six blockbuster books. These include five novels—Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008), 2 States (2009), Revolution 2020 (2011)—and the non-fiction title What Young India Wants (2012).
Half-Girlfriend, his seventh book and sixth novel, releases in October 2014.