CIOL writes about the government's plans:

Addressing the CEOs roundtable at India Telecom 2006 in Delhi, Maran said that the focus of the 10-point program would be on improving connectivity.

“The aim is to have 250 million telephone connections by 2007 and by 2010 we aim to have 500 million mobiles. With regard to the geographical coverage, while there would be 85 per cent mobile coverage of the country by 2007, by 2010 90 per cent coverage will be achieved, he said while talking about Network expansion.

“Connecting the unconnected parts of the country is the next step of the 10-point programme,” he said adding that India would have 50 million rural connections by 2007 and 80 million by 2010.

Peter Rip writes:

There is an enormous temptation in startups to think and talk expansively about a long-term vision centered on the technology of the Company. That vision often includes the word enable as in we will enable … That’s your first clue. Enable is one of those value-halving words. So are Discover, Context, Create, and Build. All those words really say, The proof of value is left to someone else. That applies equally to the valuation. The proof of value is left to someone else because we can't articulate it.

Companies started by technologists routinely fall into this trap. (I mean both business and engineering technofiles, BTW) They don’t start with the intent of solving a specific problem. They start with the intention of “leveraging” a specific technology. The fact that the technology is a piece of many potential futures seduces the team to think they have a big opportunity. It is uncomfortable for the team to commit to a market because they don’t know the end user. There are two solutions to this. Turn inward and build technology, or turn outward and recruit people who do understand the solution. It is dilutive, but if it doubles your value, you can’t afford not to do it.

I came across this May 2003 article by John Hagel which is as relevant today:

FAST in this case is an acronym for Focus, Accelerate, Strengthen and Tie it all together. This approach urges executives to move along parallel paths, operating on two very different time horizons: one horizon takes a five to ten year view of the business and the second horizon zooms in to a much more tactical six to twelve month view of the business. The one to five year horizon that is so loved by traditional business strategists actually receives very little attention in the FAST approach.

Wired writes about ten gadgets:

1. RCA Model 630TS TV (1946)
2. Western Electric 500 Desk Telephone (1949)
3. Kodak Brownie 127 camera (1953)
4. Bell & Howell Director Series model 414 Zoomatic 8-mm Movie Camera (c. 1962)
5. Amana Radarange microwave (1967)
6. JVC HR-3300 videocassette recorder (1976)
7. Atari 2600 video computer system (1977)
8. Sony Walkman TPS-L2 portable cassette player (1979)
9. IBM 5150 personal computer (1981)
10. Motorola StarTac cell phone (1996)

2007 Web writes:

- RSS will go mainstream in a big way next year
- Widgets exploded in 2006 but will continue rising in 2007
- Web Office continues to ramp up
- The consumerization of the enterprise trend will start to infiltrate corporate IT
- Rich Internet Apps will be a major force in 2007

My life is quite well compartmentalised. There is Netcore and the other companies that I am involved in as part of the Emergic ecosystem. Then, there is my blog – where I have ensured daily updates since I started in May 2002. I wrote a Tech Talk series on the fourth anniversary of the blog. I started by writing how it began...

Writing is something I have always liked and done. When I was young (college days), I kept a daily diary. Every night, I would write a couple of hundred words on what happened during the day. It helped me reflect and get a bit of perspective as I was growing up. That habit continued somewhat infrequently during my IIT and US days. Now, I write out a diary page once a week or two in my notebook. I find that writing about the world as I see it helps me think better. There are times when I am very happy or very sad – the writing helps me balance my emotions.
...
When I came across the blog format in early 2002, I immediately liked it. The free flow of thoughts on one’s own site appealed to me. But it took me a few months to make the decision to start my own blog – I wanted to make sure that I could have something new daily. In that sense, it was more news-paperish – because I wanted the blog to become a daily utility in the lives of my readers.

Of all the Tech Talks I have written this year, the one that is closest to my heart is the letter I wrote to Abhishek when he turned one in April. An excerpt: “Sometimes, I wonder what you understand and know. Or how you learn. Or what you are thinking. If only I could get a little peek into your little mind. But then that’s the charm, I guess. Every so often, you’ll surprise me with what you can do. I look forward to coming home every evening and seeing a little different, a little unpredictable kid. And, you never let me down!...It is probably an understatement to say that you’ve changed my life. When you are away (or I am travelling), I miss you a lot. The mobile has become a photo album. I have seen your photos since birth innumerable times. And I cannot get enough of you. You came to us with great difficulty and after a long time. That is why perhaps I now treasure the moments with you so much more.” I ended thus: “There are times when I think you are as old as the New India that we are seeing! Your spirit and exuberance reminds me so much of our country. As you both grow up, I hope that same positive energy stays – and infects the world around.”