This month, a little app for the iPhone got itself a bit of an update. New icons, a photo clarity feature and a retro filter, Sierra, to add to the eleven it already has. So why are 15 million people so delighted? One way to describe Instagram would be to call it the Twitter of photos. The two young founders, Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom may well have got the Instagram idea from Twitter in whose ex-office they work. Instagram users are an addicted lot. Sharing moments of their lives with friends and strangers through vintage and toy camera style photos, they use the app to the hilt, making it the one thing they would miss if their iPhones were taken away. It's difficult to quantify, but Instagram, along with another app, Hipstamatic, will have played its part in edging out standalone digital cameras. Instagram got it right from the concept up. It kept things simple, it gave users a way to share something that mattered to them, and it made everything look beautiful by making it nostalgic and mysterious. Less than two years into its life, Instagram has become a social network of its own. Naturally, businesses are busy exploring it too. And there are many ways you can use Instagram, but always with the realisation that this medium is different from the other networks, neither as "in your face" as Facebook, nor as specific as Twitter or as professionally-oriented as LinkedIn. An obvious way for companies to use Instagram is for branding. Or rather, strengthening the brand. Burberry is reinforcing the traditional Britishism of its brand by posting pictures of something from London. In the stream, too, are photos of Burberry products, but tastefully slipped in, rather than hard sell. Burberry's over 177,000 fans on Instagram love the pictures. The idea is to post interesting pictures, and not necessarily product shots. There is a picture of its headquarters, for example, but instead of showing off a gleaming building, it's a picture of someone coming out to the pavement, holding an umbrella. What does the picture say? It says a lot about the brand's values. It says we're not that different from you. It says we're at home with the rain. One connects. General Electric's feed for its 39,819 followers features photos from its research and technology, going back to the time of Edison, also reinforcing the company's brand stature. Levi's uses Instagram to showcase products in beautiful photos of denim and other apparel. Advertising products on Instagram is a possibility, but only as long as it stays within the Instagram mood and atmosphere, or it would risk being a turn off. In January, Levi's kicked off a campaign to crowd source via the hashtag #iamlevis its next star model. Anyone could participate with their photos. Starbucks, ever the pioneer on social media, has been using Instagram since the app's early days to engage with customers and build its community further. As it has done with other networks, Starbucks has managed to use Instagram to make its customers its brand ambassadors, by giving them access to a behind-the-scenes look at everything to do with Starbucks. Not surprisingly, the customers — or rather, fans — feel, more than ever, part of the brand. The social savvy Red Bull has also been using Instagram for engagement through contests and rewards. Magazines and news channels also use Instagram. National Geographic, an early Instagram partner, has actually not, on last search, put up an official account with photos, strangely. Billboard magazine has vibrant photos of the people it covers, including sneak peeks before they appear in print. Here, the comments of its 95,833 followers are mixed, some appreciative of the artists, some outright nasty. CNN, NPR, NBC and other channels use it to visualise the news, including involving users in a similar manner to what happens on Twitter. Instagram is yet to go mainstream in India. First of all, iPhones are limited to a privileged few, although you can, at a pinch, use it on the fourth generation iPod that has a camera, although a low-end one. The app is also just about usable on the iPad, but, of course, no one wants to take pictures on that. It's good for sharing photos taken elsewhere and browsing them. But a version for Android is almost here. Two weeks ago, a link to the app was actually spotted on the Android Market, though it disappeared. When it becomes available on Android, Instagram will take a big leap towards going mainstream. There is also talk of its being prepared for the Windows Phone platform. With smartphone users growing in India, it is not inconceivable to think that Instagram could, one day, be a tool to reach an increasingly connected audience with pictures — and fewer language barriers. mala(at)pobox(dot)com, (at)malabhargava on Twitter (This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 27-02-2012)
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Happy (Gregorian calendar) New Year folks! Now, as the festivities of the year-end wrap up, after the dinner plates are cleared away and the leftovers safely stashed, the conversation slowly shifts to the inevitable: our resolutions for the coming year. This year, how about making a bunch of tech resolutions as well? Read on to see what you can resolve to do starting today, and with the tips I suggest, possibly even keep them? Slice Your Phone bills: What's the point of data-connected smartphones if all you do is play Angry Birds on them all day? Put that smartphone of yours to 'smarter' use and cut down on long distance calling using one of many apps available for your platform. Apart from Skype, which is for many all you need to stay in touch with folks across state and national boundaries, you could give the Tango app a shot as well - available for PC, iPhone, Android and Windows Phone, it lets you connect to other Tango users via video and voice for free. SMS much? Try the WhatsApp app for free messaging to WhatsApp users in your address book across many platforms. In both cases, only data charges apply, and with rock bottom pricing for basic data plans, there is no excuse to keep filling the carrier's coffers! Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe: You know the drill - don't use easy to guess passwords, don't reuse your passwords across sites, etc. More often than not, convenience overpowers logic in this regard - let's face it, you've got enough on your plate without remembering all those logins/passwords you've racked up over the years, and a Post-It note on your computer monitor just isn't an option. Try 1Password, a paid password manager that integrates directly with your browser to auto-fill logins and forms. It can even automatically generate secure passwords for you, and all you need to remember is your master password. If you add in the Dropbox cloud storage application, you can even synchronise your passwords across your computers and mobile devices. For a free alternative, look no further than Firefox's built-in password manager, but be sure to secure your saved passwords with a master password. Establish A Unified Presence Online: If you were to search for yourself, what would show up? A blog from way-back-when? A twitter account with less than parliamentary tweets? A LinkedIn account? Don't depend on someone searching for you online - a potential employer perhaps - on finding the right site with the most appropriate details on you. Hunt these sites down, especially the digital relics, and decide whether you wish to make them password protected (most blogs allow for this). Setting up a website which unifies your presence online isn't a bad idea either, a place where your official blog, twitter account and links to Facebook etc can be referenced. Don't Feed The Troll: Every Internet forum has their own version of the troll - characters who post heavily opinionated and often factually incorrect comments intended just to provoke a response from the reader. Take a deep breath, and don't respond - many trolls have all day on their hands to continue the verbal mudslinging. You don't. Update Your Software: If you're a Windows or Mac user, ensure that you regularly check the software update center (Windows Update/Softeware Update) - both these programs let you set up a schedule for automatically checking for software updates. Updates are always free and almost always target either security glitches or performance improvements. Given the number of serious vulnerabilities uncovered in popular software weekly, and combine that with the fact that the bad guys are hammering at these vulnerabilities mercilessly, it's vital to keep your software updated. Backup, Backup, Backup: Fact: there is no one perfect backup option, but then again, anything is better than not backing up at all. Your hard disk isn't forever, you know. Ergo, neither are years of photos (and the like). Fortunately, every external hard disk you buy these days bundles in backup management software that lets you select which folders to backup and sets up a schedule to nag you to backup at regular intervals, or each time you connect the drive. For that matter, your computer operating system ships with capable backup software as well. In Windows 7, just head over the Backup and Restore Center which does a cracking job of maintaining your backups. You have the tools, now make the resolution. Leap Into The Cloud: We've all heard of the cloud - computing resources and storage available over the Internet rather than on your local PC - and there are a growing number of cloud-based services (many of them free) that you should seriously consider this year. Services such as Google Docs (web based word processor) and Box.net (online storage) are good enough to supplement (if not completely replace) PC-based software and storage, saving you a fair packet in the bargain. What's more, collaborating is inherent to most good cloud apps, allowing you to share things like documents, calendars and work on them in real-time, using any device with an Internet connection. Get Things Done: If you're maintaining paper to-dos, consider upgrading this year to one of many digital alternatives. Remember the Milk is my personal favorite, but you may have to try a few that suit your workflow. The options are many - right from basic to-do list services with daily email reminders, to more complex ones with automatic task scheduling, Twitter integration and address book integration. Declutter, Simplify: If you've been online for more than a couple of years, you've invariably signed up for mailing lists, Facebook groups and assorted online communities that either don't interest you anymore or you just don't have time for. Spend some time today - and attack these time-sinkholes. A rule of thumb is that if you haven't touched these communities in the past 3 months, they're good to dump. And once you're done with removing the digital junk in your life, go out and have yourself a wonderful 2012! technocool at kanwar dot nettwitter@2shar
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If you're wondering whether to buy a smartphone, tablet or laptop, you may soon get the chance to buy the lot in one package. AsusTek, which is letting its imagination run wild these days, has officially lifted the lid off its innovative Padfone at the Mobile World Congress, the biggest show in mobiles, at Barcelona, Spain. And yes, the Padfone is in four parts. Here's how:For Part I, you have a smartphone. It's an Android 4.0 phone with a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED display – nice bright display, in fact – and it's as thin as they could make it. It isn't short on power with its 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Dual Core processor and 1GB of RAM. Nor does it skimp on the camera, which is at the rear is 8 megapixels and front, a VGA.. So far, a regular lightweight biggish Android phone. But wait for Part II. The Padfone fits into a tablet, the Padfone Station. The back of this 10.1 inch tab (which has a USB port and card reader slot) has a little compartment that opens up to fit the Padfone. Click it into place and the tablet, which also runs Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Android, wakes up and speaks both phone and tablet. With the Padfone fitted in, you can still make and receive calls and apparently it even gets charged. More amazingly, if you were working on some notes on the phone, you will see them pop up on the tablet – and vice cersa. There are some specific apps that make use of the tablet and phone combo. And when you've decided you've had enough playing around with a tablet, call in Part III, which is like half a notebook – the keyboard end. I have to admit my eyes popped out of their sockets somewhat when I saw that, even though Asus has already been playing around with docking devices as you'll see with the Transformer Prime, being launched in India now. With the keyboard part attached, you have yourself a notebook. Running Android, of course, not the Windows to. which you may be more accustomed The keyboard is optional. For the final Part IV, there's a stylus headset. You can use it to write on the tablet and you can stick it next to your ear to use the microphone on a call. The Padfone has actually been around since May 2011 but will actually be available for sale from this coming April. What is to be available starting today in India though, is the Eee Pad Transformer Prime, a tablet and keyboard docking station combo. It's also power packed and runs Android 4.0 – besides being all metallic and gleaming. With just these two pieces, the tablet and the keyboard dock, the Transformer, which has pretty good reviews, should appeal to those who would want to consume content and be entertained with a tablet but also need the option to create content for their work. The Padfone is a most ingenuous concept. Good thing someone's actually thinking different and doing something about it, to boot. How easy it will be to handle all the components of this package however, we'll only know when it comes out of the showcase and into the market.
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It's large, out there somewhere and fuzzy around the edges. Sure, I just described a cloud, but I may as well have been speaking of cloud computing, the buzzword marketing departments all over are leveraging to mean just about anything! At its simplest, cloud computing is all about doing just the tasks you'd do on the computer, only you're doing them online on the Internet. If you use any web-based email, you're already using the cloud! Only now, there is a new breed of applications that is fast challenging the hegemony of desktop software by delivering very usable functionality over the internet for a fraction of the cost. Oh, and of course, no more being tied down to one device, no more syncing, no more installing and no more backing up! PicnikWhat it replaces: Any basic image editorWhy it rocks: Do you really need Photoshop to do basic edits to your photos? Pretty much most of the time, all you need is something basic that can let your crop, resize and rotate your images, and apply a few special effects while you're at it. Picnik lets you do all of this from within your browser, no install required! Best of all, if you've already got your photos on Picasa Web Albums, Flickr or Facebook, picnik can grab your photos from there, fix them and save them right back!Also try: pixlr.com, photoshop.com DropboxWhat it replaces: USB flash drives, local storageWhy it rocks: If you work across multiple computers, sharing and syncing files is such a pain. That is, if you haven't stumbled upon the effortless file synchronisation that Dropbox offers. Dropbox's basic premise is that you should have easy access to your files no matter what computer or device you have at hand. With versions for every major OS - Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, BlackBerry plus direct web access - Dropbox has you covered for free - at least for the first 2GB (with options for paid plans thereafter).Also try: Windows Live Skydrive, Box.net Zoho Office SuiteWhat it replaces: Microsoft OfficeWhy it rocks: They're your documents, so shouldn't they always be with *you*, instead of sitting on the home PC? That's the idea behind Zoho's Productivity Suite - all your documents available to you, wherever you are. Want to collaborate on that document/spreadsheet/presentation with friends and family? No problem! The offers plugins for Microsoft Office, letting you import Zoho docs into Word or Excel, and save them back online when you're done.Also try: Office365 EvernoteWhat it replaces: Tons of note-taking apps, pen-and-paperWhy it rocks: Remember Everything. Much like the elephant in Evernote's logo, the app is designed to help you take notes to remember things, whether it's the name of a restaurant, a screen shot of a website, or a song lyric. Its software - available for Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7, PC and Mac - lets you even scribble notes and capture images and then store them in the cloud, and by syncing to each of your devices, makes these notes readily available and searchable to you no matter which device you're using. And did I mention it also does handwriting recognition on your notes? Killer idea!Also try: Springpad, Simplenote Google AppsWhat it replaces: Clunky desktop e-mail, office, calendar appsWhy it rocks: I'd be remiss if I didn't underscore the importance of the Google Apps suite to cloud computing and consumers at large. With Gmail, we stopped worrying about e-mail backups and had the world's best search engine sift and search through our email. With the office suite, we could instantly edit a document attached in the email, and share it with collaborators without breaking a sweat. And with the calendar app, we ditched unwieldy corporate-ish scheduling apps in favor of a calendar that only needed a Gmail address to invite others to your events. MozyHomeWhat it replaces: Backup and Restore (Windows), Time Machine (Mac)Why it rocks: You diligently backup all your computer data, but what if a bigger catastrophe strikes, like a fire or a burglary? Worry no more if your data insurance policy is a MozyHome account. With MozyHome, you get 2 free GBs of automatic cloud backup, and $4.95 a month gets you unlimited space for worry-free cloud backup. Granted, it takes some time getting your key files up to the Mozy servers, but the peace of mind that follows is well worth it. WordpressWhat it replaces: Dreamweaver and just about any other web-page authoring softwareWhy it rocks: There used to be a time when making web pages was a tedious job, even for basic needs such as getting a blog up and running. Even the fancy-pants software that would generate the code for you via a visual editor took time to learn. And then Wordpress came along, allowing you to set up a blog for yourself (or your dog) in a matter of minutes… without obfuscating it beyond the reach of the common man. Once you're familiar, there are a ton of themes and plug-ins that can achieve pretty much anything you might need to for an online presence. And it's free.Also try: tumblr, blogger HojokiWhat it replaces: A ton of collaboration appsWhy it rocks: Forget using different software within a project group and then expecting them to talk to each other. Try Hojoki instead - it's really a messaging system that looks an a mini-CRM software on steroids. All it does is build a stream of people with whom you're already sharing contacts, and lets you organize them into groups for collaborative projects. You can even use it as a task progress monitor, since all the activities that all of you share within that group are pipelined through the Hojoki stream to everyone in that group.technocool at kanwar dot nettwitter@2shar
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2012 — the last calendar you'll ever need! If you believe the Mayans (or movie director Roland Emmerich), this may be the year life as we know it on planet Earth may come to an abrupt halt. Or not. Either which way, 2012 is more likely to spell doomsday for these gadgets, as they slowly (but mind you, very surely) make their way off to that big scrapheap in the sky. Feature Phones: It's making less and less sense to even consider the feature phone, or dumb phone as it is often referred, what with the spate of sub-4000 rupee Android smartphones like the MTS Livewire and the MTAG 3.1, to name a few. Feature phones don't run apps (other than the limited set that are shipped with the device) and don't offer anywhere near a comparable level of functionality. Even the die-hard ‘I need my phone only for calls' are likely to be charmed by the rather tempting smartphone prices. Endangered species? Absolutely. 3D Glasses: Done right, 3D-tech in your living room is an awesome proposition, until you see yourself in the mirror and realise how 1970s you look with those glasses on, not to mention the cost of most 3D glasses and the inconvenience of factoring in your own eyewear. Already, companies have launched commercial glasses-free 3D on phones (LG Optimus 3D, HTC Evo 3D), portable gaming consoles (Nintendo 3DS), apart from a slew of laptops and at least one big-screen TV from Toshiba that sport this feature. Expect to see many more such in 2012, and the long overdue demise of the pair of glasses no one really wants. Dedicated GPS Devices: Standalone GPS units, the kind you install in your car for voice-based navigation, are in trouble, big trouble. Factor in the high entry point — some GPS units cost in excess of Rs 15,000 – and the dedicated nature of their use, and you honestly wonder why most would invest in one, when a smart phone comes equipped with the same technology. With Google and Nokia offering the technology (and maps) free of cost and dedicated smartphone apps retailing at a fraction of the cost of the GPS units, its days are numbered. MP3 Players: First, there was the Walkman and then the Discman — remember those? The MP3 player has had a good run, but it's sadly next in the line for extinction. Not only do most phones come with the ability to play your favorite tunes, and store more tunes than you could care to play with added storage via memory cards, with 3G capabilities, smart phones these days can also stream internet radio through a bunch of apps such as Last.FM as well. Seriously, how long will our pockets suffer additional devices when one omnipresent smartphone does the job? Optical Media (CDs/DVDs): Consider the facts— broadband is getting faster, most software is now purchasable via app stores online, and data needs are making DVD and CD capacities seem almost anachronistic in an age of muti-gigabyte thumb drives and cloud storage. Plus the risk you run if age-old CD backups are hit by a fungus attack and just aren't readable. And then there are the ultrabooks – the hottest trend in computing that's posed to revitaliSe the notebook segment — they ship with no CD/DVD drive! It's not hard to picture a world without those shiny silver discs, is it? Windows Vista: If you're on a PC, there's a good chance you're on Windows 7, or Windows XP. Believe it or not, tons of individuals and organisations are still hanging onto Windows XP, and directly upgrading to Windows 7, if at all. And with Windows 8 on the horizon, it's safe to say we won't be seeing much more of Windows Vista. Trackball Mice: Granted, modern laser-assisted mice just cannot replace the sense of satisfaction that comes from cleaning out a trackball mouse and seeing dramatic improvements in pointer response. But their time is up, and I hope none of you have to go back to one of these mice again! Alarm Clocks: Quick — when was the last time you used an alarm clock? Most folks I ask seem to have switched over completely to their cellphones for keeping alarms, and a clear sign that the alarm clock is on its way out is that manufacturers are turning to increasingly desperate ways to make theirs stand out. Some, like the one that scurries around and has to be caught before it can be switched off, are cute, but reek of desperation. Pardon the pun, but time is running out for the humble bedside assistant. Fax Machines: That we still have them around is the most surprising, almost like it is a homage to times gone by when sending a document around the world was a really big deal. Email's been around for a while now, and I cant remember the last time I used a fax machine or when someone asked me to fax them anything. Dial-up Internet Connections: While many readers may not even remember a time before broadband connections, dial-up connections still have a while to go the way of the dodo. Still, the numbers are waning, and the once-familiar dialup ‘primal scream' (the sound two modems make when they meet) is rapidly fading. Netbooks: Their proposition is compelling — they're still smaller, lighter and cheaper than a laptop, but the anemic processor and tiny display let the consumer experience down. Today, compact notebooks with fast processors can be had for a small premium over a notebook, and tablets are better suited if you're all about just web surfing and light entertainment. This one can go either way in 2012 — really depends how much Intel hammers home the Ultrabooks value prop.technocool at kanwar dot nettwitter@2shar
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The Great Truth of a rat's life is that it wants to be a cat. A twice-born rat (like this writer) is intuitively aware of it and plans to just curl up and purr. But lesser ones miss the plot completely, and mistake the rat race to be the raison d'être. But they can now relax. Here's how you can attain marjara (Sanskrit for cat) nirvana. Get The Right AttitudeRecall Robert Half's (founder of Robert Half International, the employment agency) gold standard: "There are some who start their retirement long before they stop working". The blooper most make is that they start to fantasise about chilled out days and nights in exotic places without giving a thought as to how they intend to get there. The 30s is when you start to think about retirement: college is a distant memory. You have three decades of working life left. You are married (usually), and have a brat or two to take care of. Time will fly; so too money. Again, it is not just at what age you retire, but at what income. Because once you retire, you will have all the time in the world, and you don't want to spend it counting mere pennies. So start early; long before your boss starts to worry about your retirement.The Chinese caught on to this kernel long ago. The first sign in the Middle Kingdom's 12-animal zodiac cycle is the rat: it stands for hard work and renewal. But sweat alone will not do; don't be fooled by the line it did not kill anybody on the planet. Lord Krishna was bang on when he said all what you see about you is maya, an illusion. Hard work is the biggest of them. Look at the elephant-headed Ganesha whose mount is a rat. The message behind the imagery is if you have a head, use it. Gene Perret, the comedy writer put it elegantly: "It's nice to get out of the rat race, but you have to learn to get along with less cheese". If you can pull off a con, great. Now you must have heard folks say "always weigh the pros and cons before you do anything". What they mean is you have to be a pro (professional) at your con (job). You can't be squeaky and hope to be a top cat. Face this: money is something you got to make enough of in case you don't die. It follows as a corollary that only God's retirement plan is out of this world. Options GaloreA good way to laugh all the way to the bank and beyond is to be a heart-stealer. At school, they taught you old is gold. What they did not, was, it can be diamonds and platinum. Respect the old and frail, mollycoddle them. Take them to the nearby park; read newspapers aloud; don't be an idiot — switch on devotional fare on the box. You will be blessed with their kindness. Milk it: get adopted. Then the stuff from the many vaults is yours to blow up or down.break-page-breakPut your looks to work. If you are a good looking bachelor (ugly married men should not try this stunt without professional help), freshen up your rich landlady. Take care of her dog. Go with your instincts: a rat's life is close to a dog's. Take her out shopping, pay her bills (with her money). Women like men who are caring. The highly evolved sex does not go by what you do for them, but that you want to do even more. Promise to pluck out stars to coiffeur her hair. If you are an Eve, you are anyway hardwired (correctly) to know that men are all the same: when dead, they don't tell tales. Aim for a privy purse: go for a rich old fogey with one foot in the grave.The adage ‘work is worship' is a good one, but also acquire and polish these skills (a) rat on fellow rats. You want the cat's whiskers after all (b) don't forget, it's okay to be in the sink, but if you ever get that sinking feel, jump ship pronto. And please don't feel guilty about it; think about your future — dead cats bounce, rats — never. And c) while on deck, cherry blossom the big boots; you will be a high-flier of a kiwi. You should always strive to be the mirror image of your boss. You will be seen as one ready for the Big Office; your juniors will buy the inanity "change with continuity and continuity with change".If you have the gift of the gab, and can sell yourself well, then the profession to be in is that of a management guru. All you have to do is come across as someone profound and intense. If somebody asks you what's two plus two, counter: "What do you have in mind? Create credibility based on the fact that you are not dumb enough to work for somebody else. You will be seen as a person of "independent" views. Appear on chat shows. Offer an opinion: polls to farming in Mesopotamia. If you are not all that bright, being a hack is worth the while. You can gloat you are a foot soldier of history, mind other people's business and get paid for it. Once you get to be a cat, what do you do? It's okay to say you love to watch the clouds drift by, and listen to the wind rustle leaves. Doing nothing is the most sensible thing to do, but you have to be highly motivated and naturally gifted. Then again, it is not the same as retiring into nothingness. Just because you have nine lives does not mean there are no existential issues. The best way to get away from the hassles of retirement plans is to know what you really like to do in life. You then will not have to work a day in your life. If music is your calling, follow it. Go by Samuel Johnsons's words: It is better to live rich than to die rich. Cheers!Caution: Advice may be injurious to wealth(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 23-01-2012)
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When Sir Richard Branson bought the teeny-weeny Necker Island, he was 39 and nautical miles away from retirement. Last year, when a fire razed his £60 million haven, the now 60-plus Virgin boy ran around naked to save his guests, including Kate Winslet, who generally hates nude scenes. Pause!The story is that he has a posh mansion. So does Warren Buffett, who invested in one at Laguna Beach when he was 41. Both the Caribbean and Californian villas are dream getaways for an exotic retired life, where one can relax in cliff-side villas beside a pool and enjoy never-ending views of the azure seas. And if you are yet to grab a piece of any peaceful remote corner of the world, here are some offbeat options for young hearts with fat wallets. Thanks to the tiring crisis, the retiring rooms are getting cheaper.Contadora, PanamaThe seventh largest in the Pearl Islands archipelago is a closely-guarded secret playground for wealthy and famous politicos, writers, entertainers and businessmen from all over. Well off the radars of most tourists, Contadora has two big resorts and a small air-strip, beside 13 white-sand beaches. Settle in one of the several dozen large mansions here, one of them available now for $5.5 million, and even Facebook can't poke you.Mallorca, SpainThe cashed-up hordes used to jaunt to the fabulous beaches of Mallorca before the Euro crisis shipped a share of trouble to the country. Prime prices have fallen by 25 to 30 per cent and the $12.7 million luxury villa facing the Mediterranean Sea would have cost you an extra $4 million a year ago. The clean and healthy bustling town also offers modern studio apartments, townhouses or traditional seignorial manors.Seychelles, AfricaAfrica has always been a haunt for the super-wealthy looking for adventure and luxury. Seychelles is a small, intimate community off the Madagascar coast, with a headcount under 90,000. The real estate in this area is rare, and there are countless plans to build luxury condominiums on the undeveloped beachfront properties. Opportunities are abundant for those who may want to create their retirement experience in a tropical oasis.Maui, HawaiiThe beaches, the palm trees, the rest of the clichés and a retired volcano. But Hawaii is the most wealth-friendly place in the US for the baby boomers. Probably, that's why Oprah Winfrey owns 451 acres here. Basic one-bedroom condos start at a steep $800,000, while a oceanfront condo with a few bedrooms can cost anywhere between $5-$8 million. If you have more guests than bedrooms, send them to the nearby Four Seasons resort. CATCH 'EM YOUNG: Prime properties at (from top left) Mallorca, Maui (AP) or Côte d'Azur can add benefits to your retirement plans (Shutterstock) Eureka, UtahIf you want to dig your own, ahem… gems, this is the place to be. Workaholics could find semi-precious and precious stones of all varieties, along with native American artifacts. Deep canyons and landmarks are fabulous areas to explore for retirees who always wanted to visit some of the earth's most fascinating geological features. This historic mining town, with population of less than 1,000, provides the ideal base from which to go forth for awesome digs.Côte d'Azur, FranceYour love for art, wine and music can take a leisurely Gallic pace at the French Riviera. Plus, while watching MI-5 on your couch, Tom Cruise might whizz past your window, horizontally or vertically. It is a hot spot for the rich, a town where the best property can cost a small fortune. Brad Pitt used to fancy a $17 million-villa. Expensive means exclusive. David Beckham or Johnny Depp could well be your neighbours. Settling in southern France means only one thing: C'est une réussite. It's a success!The WorldIf retirement gives you a sinking feeling, the largest privately-owned residential yacht can keep you afloat in luxury. Residents of the community-at-sea ship can travel to over 800 ports in 140 countries without ever leaving home. Many of the 165 homes are valued at more than $5 million each. From a golf course to a banyan tree spa to a diesel engine, the ship of dreams has it all. Each year's itinerary is made by the ship's captain and its residents, all of whom share a passion for travel and learning. For many of them, life begins at retirement. Well, 60 is not an age at all. If you doubt, rewind to Branson.(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 23-01-2012)
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Three pencil-sketches of Mahatma Gandhi by Anglo-Jewish artist Clare Winsten will go under the hammer later this month in the UK and are likely to fetch over Rs 2.2 lakh.The rare portraits will be among 501 lots as part of Mullocks Auction House's 'Historical Documents, Autographs and Ephemera' sale at Ludlow Racecourse on January 24. The sale will also include memorabilia relating to Punjab.Winsten's daughter Theodora recalls her parents first met Gandhi in the 1930s when living at Hampstead (and this) led to a "remarkable series" of paintings and drawings.There was such an empathy between them that Clare was invited to be there whenever she wanted. She also sketched Gandhi during his visit to England for the Round Table Conference of 1930-31.The portraits are all pencil sketches on woven paper.(PTI)
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