Ravikant Malhan, vice president (special projects) for Zicom Electronic Security, likes to call himself a “tech nerd” and not a geek. For his colleagues at work, Malhan is a gadget guru, but now this executive wants to impress his wife with his gadget skills too. Malhan wants to gift her a pair of shoes that will be Bluetooth-enabled and fitted with an MP3 player, to help her exercise better.
What is the geekiest thing you have ever done with your gadgets?
I shot a video clip and married it to the live image of a customer site, against the background of a satellite image from Google Earth, and transferred it by Bluetooth to my laptop during a presentation. The fun was in doing it within 10 minutes during the preliminary discussions and exchange of pleasantries.
Do you like to show off your gadget skills?
By nature I am not an exhibitionist. I do, however, tend to show off the knowledge that my gizmos help me acquire with lightning speed. In my experience, few can match that kind of speed.
How often do you set up and install a gadget by yourself?
I am constantly playing around, and I am less of a “gizmo geek” and more of a “tech nerd”. I am in the process of designing a gadget for myself, but I can’t share any more about that right now.
If you could, what kind of dream gadget would you like to invent?
I would like something smaller than a BlackBerry Pearl, with a 5 megapixel camera and an operating system that does everything on Web applications and presentations. Maybe Google Chrome (the latest operating system launched by Google) will serve that purpose.
Have you had any gadget customised for yourself?
Yes, I download and buy mobile software applications for my BlackBerry.
Do you have any “green” gadgets? Do you actively seek out eco-friendly gadgets or technology when you go shopping for electronics?
My air conditioners and coffee maker are green gadgets. But I do not actively seek eco-friendly gadgets or technology. The area interests me and I enjoy reading about initiatives such as “reduce, reuse and recycle”.
It’s only after the purchase that we get to know about the degree of “greenness” of the gadget. For me, my gadgets are objects of desire and I want them to be dynamites: small and powerfully loaded.
What would be a perfect geeky gift that you would like to give your family?
I would want to gift my wife Nike sneakers that come equipped with Bluetooth and an MP3 player.
