In a land of QuietComfort

GIZMOGEEK

Pradeep Kar, founder, chairman and managing director, Microland, an IT infrastructure management outsourcing services provider, is a true blue geek. Kar seems to have it all with telescope, digital compass to noise cancellation and headphones tucked away in his home.

Has there been any occasion when a gadget came to your rescue?

My Bose QuietComfort noise cancellation headphones always come to my help when I travel long distance. Not only do they cut out the sound of the aircraft, but they also tell the guy in the next seat not to bother me with polite but irrelevant conversation.

Which gadget was a waste of money?

I have an expensive computerised Celestron Nextstar telescope. It runs on an expensive power pack, which I have never managed to use. There are other gadgets that I have purchased and not used including a professional Bogen high-end tripod for my camera and a digital compass from Sharper Image. I got them but have never used them.

Can you survive a day without your favourite gadget?

I wouldn't be able to survive without using my BlackBerry. I guess I would have withdrawal symptoms.

If you could, whose computer would you hack?

Who wouldn't want to hack into Steve Jobs computer? I'd love to see the designs he is toying with and how he plans to alter the digital landscape.

Your costliest device, to date would be...

The Nikon D2X SLR and the many lenses that were bought along with it.

What is the next gadget on your shopping list?

I feel I must have them all "" the Opus Digital Player from Olive in the US, or the Sonos digital wireless music system, a dual shock MuddyFox bike.

Name one gadget that you don't like and explain why?

The horrible portable smoke alarm which trips all the time and everyone panics thinking there's a fire.

What dream gadget would you like to build?

I would love to build gadgets that have the Apple iPhone interface with an auto-detect wireless option built-in. This could be in cameras which are still complex devices to use.

Can you unwind with the help of your gadgets?

Certainly, I unwind with my camera. I am about to pick up some lighting equipment so that I can do portraits and am sure it will be tremendously relaxing.