Mobile App Conference...

Silicon India had organized a Mobile App Conference today. I went for it, thanks to a colleague who wanted me to tag along. And it turned out to be pretty nice! Lots of panel discussions and sales ("Elevator") speeches by quite a few start-ups who are in the mobile app space. There were talks related to the entire app eco-system and economy, monetization of apps, segmentation and all the jazz, that is marketing! Quite some time was devoted to understanding the business proposition and revenue models of companies who are trying to carve a business in this whole space. Interesting and refreshing.

There were many exhibitors and start-ups with their products. Almost all catered more to the services sectors rather than the product sector. More opportunities? Sure, but also because product sectors would mean more customized and "enterprise" apps. And before I went I used to always wonder what are the things that can be done at the enterprise level. There are lots of things, as I learnt! Right from automation of processes, to task-based jobs, material, inventory and checklists. Useful in many different industries. There was one company which I felt were very clear in their entire thinking and approach to it. Rossi-tek was their name I think..

My personal best was one with cloud services and seamless UX across any operator connectivity/availability! All your apps and data synchronized across any platform and any network operator. Phew! The guy there explained it really well. I think they were called United Mobile Apps.

I hope the app story does not turn out to be something like what happened in the dot com bubble though. Lots of fabulous ideas and "fantasies" which never took off because of lack of proper knowledge of monetization, marketing and business models. A sustainable model at that, which is another way of saying you need to bet for it for the long term. I wont be surprised if it turns out to be a bubble, just like that of the dot com era. People can dismiss it, saying we have really learnt our lessons and fund houses are more smarter than to believe in jacked up and fantastic growth projections...But I think we might be overestimating their abilities! That's not to dismiss their abilities but just because there is so much happening out there! I don't see how someone can really pick something which will work and skip others by believing something wont. Its a gamble at best, and no one "really" knows where the next big wave is going to come from. And just because, again, there is so much happening out there (in that space) and so many interesting creative ways of doing businesses!!

Ofcourse, the few good ones would always remain, finding their niche and discovering themselves successfully. The world is a stage, and hopefully, they will have "happy" parts to play! The others..well, something else maybe.

As for my part...for now, its the audience :)

A Thousand Splendid Suns...

There are some books that really move you emotionally...

Sometimes I wonder what is it that I really gain by reading books on fiction, art or just plain biographies. Or works of literature and poetry. What is it that really brings feelings deep inside ourselves actually felt? Then we read some works that brings an answer to our never ending quests.

I have been reading this book called A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni. Its a poignant story about the hardships of two women who I believe are the protagonists of the novel, but in a way are representatives of all those people in Afghanistan that need a voice to make the world hear of their plight and hardships. And about the humaneness that is expressed in them that we all tend to need reminding..It touches me greatly to be expressing so much for it because it brings to me a very sad reminder of the places which are not too far from us, which are altogether god-forsaken and need the expression of utterance to be able to comprehend the immensity of their tragedies.

There are not too many novels that are able to realize that end of the spectrum of human endurance and experience. And not that many able to move us in a way that captures the images of their world and bring it closer to our heart's. And this book manages to do just that. I have read many others of the same order, and they really wreak you emotionally. Its only the very strong who wont be moved by reading them. Its real, its in flesh and blood, its in every waking moment that you are reminded of their stories, forever embedded in our collective human conscience. Maybe that in itself is a tribute to their lives and those that are unheard of..

Which again beings me back asking the same questions at the beginning. What is it about them really? Maybe its just recognizing another human being as human enough to merit our attention. And that in itself is worthy enough. Sigh, I would be doing a great dis-service if I expressed further. I would suffice to say, try and read it. And others too which might seem tedious. Its worth every tear drop, for those to which it is dedicated..