Bikram Dasgupta, chairman and CEO, Globsyn Technologies, traces his love for gadgets back to 1995, when he bought a Nokia 1011, loaded with games and polyphonic ringtones. Little did Dasgupta know that within 14 years, his so-called premium model phone would pale against his Mercedes E Class and custom-fitted laptops.
What was your most extravagant gadget buy?
My Mercedes Benz’s sedan E Class model is my most extravagant gadget buy till now.
I just love my car because of its technological features, elegant design and styling.
What’s next on your shopping list?
I am looking forward to buying a 7- or 9-inch screen iPod Touch. It was recently launched in the UK and will soon be launched in India. This iPod has amazing features like greater landscape support, a cut-copy-paste option for Web URLs, a spotlight search to search within email, contacts, calendar, applications, songs, videos, and podcasts. It even has a voice memo feature to record audio.
Do you own any eco-friendly gadgets?
I strongly believe in a holistic and green approach. I have bought an E280 model solar-powered torch that can be used for up to 10 hours.
Do you own any custom-fitted gadgets?
Yes, I have a custom-made Sony Vaio SZ4 slimline laptop. With a 13.3-inch display, it comes in a cartable size, making it effortless to slip into a briefcase.
Can you remember what your first gadget was?
I brought my first gadget in 1995 — the Nokia 1011, a premium model mobile phone then. More than just polyphonic Nokia 1011 ringtones, it came with Nokia themes, and even hard-to-find mobile games.
What would be your kind of gizmo gift?
I would like to gift a Canon PowerShot G10 to my family or friends. It is the first G series camera to offer wide-angle imaging through a 5x zoom lens and optical image stabilising features. The addition of a 14.7-megapixel sensor makes it a convincing geek gift.
Is there any gadget that you adore?
My iPhone 3GS by Apple is one device that has me in its awe. Although the physical design of the 3GS is nearly identical to that of the iPhone 3G, it still offers a lot of additional amazing features like new volume-adjusting headphones and a 3-megapixel built-in camera with autofocus anywhere in the frame. It is faster than ever and the phone’s speed definitely lives up to its name.
If you could, what kind of dream gadget would you like to make?
If I have the right technology, I would like to build a 3D video conferencing technology which will be affordable and connect the whole world through the Internet. By this we would not only save time but would also be able to avoid traffic problems. I would like to develop advanced videoconferencing solutions that could turn an office wall into a high-definition video display, providing a virtual window into a remote location thousands of miles away.
What is the geekiest thing you have ever done?
I held a reunion party for all my school friends, and with the help of my iKaraoke microphone I organised a karaoke game and brought some Sing Along DVDs with a fully interactive big screen display. It soon had all of us singing along for old time’s sake!
