NEW SKY Locker
Your data can move online and be accessible through any computer or smartphone with big Internet companies now offering unlimited storage using cloud computing
Roopinder Singh

Anywhere, anytime, on any machine. The world’s top technology companies promise you the moon, and all that they expect you to do is to rise up to the clouds to get it. They are giving you services that will keep your data safe and make it accessible, provided you have internet or data connectivity, of course.

Google launched the much-anticipated Google Drive or GDrive as it is popularly known, recently and users can now access it for storing their files. Basically, it is an online locker where you can store files so that you can access them later or share them with others.

All that you have to do is install a small application, and once you have it, you can synchronise the cloud storage with the hard drive on your personal computer, or on another device.

Cloud computing

We know that many computer users have computers at home as well as their offices. They may even have smartphones, which are, in effect, small computers. Often, the files that they save on one computer are not accessible on another, unless they physically transfer these files, normally using flash or pen drives.

This is where cloud computing comes in. It is basically a service that delivers computing requirements to end-recipients through the internet. These services could be storage or even using software that is not on your computer, but one that you have access to through the Net. We will focus on the storage aspect in this article.

Other alternatives

Long before GDrive came on the scene, the cloud was a crowded place. Box (founded 2005), Dropbox (founded 2007) and Microsoft’s Live Drive, which has now become SkyDrive, all had made a place for themselves, as did many other cloud-storage services.

Dropbox dominates the cloud-storage market right now. It offers 2GB of online storage for free, as compared with 5 GB for Google Drive and 7 GB for SkyDrive. Dropbox is compatible with practically all popular mobile and desktop platforms, which is a huge advantage, right now. SkyDrive is Microsoft’s answer to GDrive. It preceded GDrive by many years and its recent re-launch has brought the traditional rivalry to the fore.

Online office

Both Google and Microsoft have online office suits that they seek to promote through their cloud storage offerings. SkyDrive favours Microsoft Office file formats and, thus, editing a Word document on the go, is a snap. On the other hand, GDrive is deeply integrated with Google’s own office suit, Google Docs, to an extent that it seems like an extension of Google Docs. The downside to this is that your files have to be converted to the Docs format if you want to edit them. However, you can export these files in a variety of formats, and 450 new fonts and 60 templates have just been added.

Google is already the most-preferred search engine. It has a popular e-mail service, and a dominant smartphone operating system. It is perfectly poised to take advantage of the fact that many Google users simply do not want to leave the Google universe, and appreciate the tight integration that comes by being on one platform.

Dropbox advantage

As we have noted, the big giant on the cloud is an old-timer, Dropbox. It scores with its simple, uncluttered style, and has added new features with which you can upload and share photographs online, even as you take them with your smartphone.

As cloud storage becomes more popular, we will have more features from a variety of companies. We have just discussed the top three, there are many. The online world is getting better, and you have nothing to lose but the shackles of your personal computer that you trade in for the cloud that will put you data at your fingertips, no matter where you are.

 

Google Drive Free storage: 5 GB Paid storage: Extra storage available in tiers from 25 GB ($30/year) and 100 GB ($60/year) all the way up to 16 TB ($9,600 per year) Online document editing: Yes, with Google Docs Operating System: Windows, Mac, Android Dropbox Free storage: 2 GB Paid storage: Free; Pro packages available in tiers of 50/100 GB for $99/$199 per year Online document editing: No Operating System: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, BlackBerry SkyDrive Free storage: 7 GB Paid storage: Extra storage available in 20/50/100 GB increments, at $10/$25/$50 per year, respectively Online document editing: Yes, with Office Web Apps Operating System: Windows, iOS, Windows Phone, Mac; Android apps via third parties

Have the Ride of your life
Some of the world’s most desirable automobile brands are busy adding super bicycles to their names
Mukesh Khosla

These are on the world’s most wanted list — supercars, which bring stars to the eyes of automobile devotees. These are not just the most expensive cars on the planet but also the best performing power machines that are as much an engineering marvel as these are head-turners in terms of design and looks.

So, what would supercars like Audi, Mercedes Benz, BMW and others have to do with the lowly bicycle? On the face of it, nothing. But truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. A number of the world’s most desirable automobile brands have added bicycles to their list. And these are by no means lowly two-wheelers. These are high-end bikes made from materials like carbon fibre and titanium and can cost more than an ordinary car.

Dream machines

These are, in fact, two-wheeled dream machines that are as precious as the cars that these companies produce. Even as global warming looms large, the bicycle is fast becoming the preferred way to go around the city. However, the high-fliers do not want to be seen on any old dowdy bike but one designed by a top automobile company.

Some experts say that automobile manufacturers are being driven by a sudden sense of urgency. The realisation of short-lived oil supplies has been the final signal to go in for the production of these environment-friendly bicycles that are driven by human power. Given the problem of increasing pollution and dwindling oil resources, these are seen as the transport of the future.

Oomph appeal

Many feel that sexing-up the bike adds an oomph appeal to high-end cars and lends a trendy dimension to the company. The bicycle strikes a sublime harmony between a luxury commodity and a common man’s mode of transport.

But these are not a common man’s bikes — far from it. These have been jazzed up to an extent that these are fit for any race track, though these are primarily designed for the road. It is seen that most of these bicycles reflect the aerodynamics and other design principles of the cars their brand names are representing.

Indeed, there’s something about bicycles that gets car companies all excited. It is, perhaps, a way of showing off their engineering skills in something as basic as a bike against the computer-assisted manufacturing of a car. As a BMW press statement says, “The idea is to create ‘outstanding-looking bikes that are associated with BMW cars by their dynamic lines and exceptional performance’. In other words, these car companies want to make you feel that when you buy their bike, you are actually getting associated with their brand.

Bike-car collaborations

Companies like Mercedes Benz, Audi, BMW and Peugeot and many others make their own bikes. But there are auto majors, which team up with bicycle manufacturers to bring out bikes that are the result of a collaboration between the two.

Swiss bicycle giant BMC recently collaborated with Lamborghini to bring out the BMC Impec Automobili Lamborghini, a super road-bike. Then, there is high-end Italian bike manufacturer Colnago that has joined forces with Ferrari to come up with a bike called Colnago for Ferrari CF8. For its 10th anniversary, Toyota Prius pooled resources with bicycle design studio Parlee Cylces to come out with the Prius X Parlee (PXP), a bike so advanced that it can almost read your mind.

Mind-boggling variety

The variety of bikes made by car companies, too, is mind-boggling. French auto major Peugeot, for example, not just makes bicycles but also tandems, tricycles, quadricycles, quinticycles and folding cycles.

Many other companies are coming up with models ranging from normal commuter bikes to mountain bikes, racing bikes, children’s bikes, as also hybrid bikes.

The latest trend is the e-bike. In the coming 2012 London Olympics, BMW is planning to flood London with e-bikes. Ford, too, has its own version of the e-bike that runs on a lithium-ion battery pack.  

Peugeot is coming out with a range of electric bikes, and so are Lexus and Volkswagen.

Interestingly, most of these bikes complement the cars they represent and are designed in such a way that they fold up into the trunk or can be hitched to the back or top of the car.

However, if you don’t have a car to tuck away your bike in, do not fret. A Mercedes, BMW, Audi or a Lamborghini bicycle could press the accelerator of your social life.

 

The future bike
Ford E-Bike With the world becoming a wired global village, the e-bike is a concept whose time has come. And ushering in the e-bike is the Ford Motor company. The futuristic-looking, electric-powered bicycle has sent waves of excitement among enthusiasts. The bike is made from aluminium and carbon fibre. It is extremely lightweight (2.5 kg) and has an on-board storage for a lithium-ion battery pack. The American automobile giant believes that with its cutting-edge design, cross-gender appeal, robust build quality and high performance drive package, the Ford E-Bike is the utility vehicle of the future.	Price between $1, 000 & $1, 200 (Rs 50,000 & Rs  60,000)
Alpha Romeo Competizione Italian automobile giant Alpha Romeo is as known for its powerful racing cars as for its iconic bicycles. One of its best bikes is the Alpha Romeo Competizione. It has a carbon steel frame and comes in the sensual red and black colours of the racing car. The bike has been designed by the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo and manufactured in Italy by master craftsmen, using cutting-edge technology component parts. The bike is extremely smooth and develops amazing fluidity around its two wheels, guaranteeing high performance, besides the sheer pleasure of biking on two wheels.	Price Starts at $7, 880 (Rs 3.9 lakh)
Audi Duo City, Duo Sport and Duo Road Can’t afford the latest Audi? Don’t fret. The luxury automaker has got something to suit your pocket — an Audi on two wheels! Yes, you read that right. The company has collaborated with American bicycle manufacturer Renovo to bring out three Audi bicycle models — the Duo City, Duo Sport and Duo Road. The bikes feature wooden monocoque frames made of hardwood. Audi says that wood offers a smooth ride due to its ability to absorb shocks. Other components are made from aluminum and carbon fibre. So go ahead and make your dreams come true by riding the four-ring Audi logo.	Price Duo City $6, 530 (Rs 3.25 lakh), Duo Sport $7, 350 (Rs 3.67 lakh) & Duo Road $7, 460 (Rs 3.73 lakh)
Porsche Bike S & Bikers Like the Peugeot, the German luxury carmaker Porsche, too, is deeply associated with bicycles. Its two frontline models, Porsche Bike S and Porsche Bike RS, can give a run for their money to the best bicycle manufacturers in the world. The aluminium Bike S is the entry level for cycling enthusiasts, has 11-speed transmission and is fitted with hydraulic brakes. The Bike RS is for professional bikers. It is made from carbon fibre, has low rolling resistance tyres and has a 20-speed transmission with a range of gears. The disc brakes are top quality and the suspension is adjustable, both front and rear. So take your pick, as both models guarantee a lifetime of riding pleasure.	Price $4, 775 (Rs 2.39 lakh) Bike S $8, 538 (Rs 4. 27 lakh) Bike RS
BMW M Bike Carbon Racer Most of us know that the Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) produce top-quality cars. But not many of us know that for more than six decades, they have been making some of the best high-end bicycles in the world. Its new bike, the BMW M Bike Carbon Racer, is a super-fast, lightweight bicycle. The beauty of this bicycle is that it can serve both as a racer as well as a daily use bike. It is made of a carbon frame that is very light, absorbs shocks and is completely corrosion-free. The exclusively designed bike is technically flawless and climbs its top speed within seconds.	Price $3,300 (Rs 1.65 lakh)
Lamborghini BMC Impec Automobili It is a Lamborghini on pedals. Swiss bicycle giant BMC has teamed up with the Italian super sports carmaker to produce the BMC Impec Automobili Lamborghini, the supercar-inspired road bike version. Made of a carbon frame and fitted with shifting carbon wheels, there are only 30 of these luxury bikes being offered to those who like to paddle in the great outdoors. It has the Lamborghini logo on the head tube, handlebars and handmade suede saddle. There is also the Lamborghini orange tube under the seat, which is of the same colour as the iconic Aventador LP-7004 Lamborghini.	Price $26,000 (Rs 13 lakh)
Mercedes Benz Carbon Frame Bike It is a beauty on two wheels. Though the Mercedes Benz high-end bikes come in a range of sizes and colours, its flagship ultra-lightweight Carbon Frame Bicycle puts you in a different league altogether. For those who love speed, this is a dream come true. The bike is made for all types of terrains, and is equally efficient for driving around in the city. It has a four-link rear suspension and a solid, five-disc braking system, as well as a lightweight aluminium frame. Its bold curves have been designed to optimally meet the demands of not just those for whom cycling is serious business, but also for those for whom it is a hobby.	Price $3,675 (Rs 1.85 lakh)
Ferrari CF-8 This bike comes with a reputation. In fact, it has racing in its genes. The Colnago Ferrari CF-8 bike comes in red and black colours and is made of carbon fibre, with the Ferrari horse symbol and an Italian tricolor flag. Though it was introduced in 2007 to mark the 60th anniversary of Ferrari, the bike remains popular for wealthy speed freaks, which cycle either for kicks or are into serious bike racing. The superbly crafted bicycle has 10-speed components and flat bar shifters and is fitted with high-powered fulcrum racing wheels. The main tube of the frame is made from a polygonal section and is reinforced by a laminated support that provides handling and steering precision. Most biking experts call it a technological marvel.	Price $7,485 (Rs 3.75 lakh)
Peugeot’s Roland-Garros Bike The French car major Peugeot’s first experiment with the bicycle started in 1890, when it introduced a range of bicycles. Over the years, it has produced not just bikes but also tandems, tricycles, quadricycles and quinticycles. The French army used its folding bicycle in World War 1. Peugeot started making modern bikes in the 1980s. It is today associated with some of the most brilliant bicycles in the world. The variety is mind-boggling — from mountain bikes to city shopper bikes, from children’s bikes to touring and road bikes, you can buy whatever catches the fancy. Its latest and most popular is the limited-series bike, commemorating the partnership between Peugeot and the French tennis venue Roland-Garros. The legendary Peugeot logo is emblazoned on leather, stretched across the front frame.	Price starts at $1,050 (Rs 52, 500)

PACESETTER Rajshree Ojha
Director with a difference
Young filmmaker Rajshree Ojha wants to make films with substance and give women a voice since she is tired of them enacting secondary roles
Shoma A. Chatterji

Rajshree Ojha is a filmmaker with a purpose. Her first full-length feature film Chaurahen, meaning Crossroads recently opened to a full house in MAMI and OSIAN’s Cinefan (Asian International Film Festival). It was showcased in various film festivals around the world. It deals with the unusual subject of how people cope differently with the death of their loved ones. After her masters at the American Film Institute (AFI) in 2002, Ojha made Badger, which won the AFI Spirit of Excellence Award for Outstanding Direction. It was premiered at the Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Compilation in France, the San Francisco International Asian Film Festival, Toronto, Milan, and Germany. It won Special Mention at the ASC Award in Hollywood and the Gold Special Jury Award at World Fest, Houston and Ojai film festival.

“My vision is to make films with substance, films that can reach out to audiences across the world, especially my country. I am tired of women enacting secondary roles in our films. I would like to give them a ‘voice’, make them the main protagonists and tell their stories. I would like people to identify with my characters, man or woman, they have to be real,” she says. After Badger, she made Moment that won the Student Award in New York in 1999. Rajshree was featured in the next wave of filmmakers to emerge from AFI in the issue of daily Variety, June 12, 2003.

Chaurahen, made a couple of years ago, could not be released because, “being an English language film, it was difficult to convince distributors. It is a cerebral film so there were few takers. I find the subject of death fascinating,” she says. Chaurahen’s cast comprises, among others, of Soha Ali Khan, Roopa Ganguly, Zeenat Aman, Victor Banerjee and Ankur Khanna.

“The characters are connected, perspectives are skewed, morality is ambiguous and the gray area between right and wrong is explored, often through overlapping plots. No journey is completed, only traversed.” Rajshree elaborates. Her second film Aisha, an unabashed mainstream masala film, adapted from Jane Austen’s Emma was a reasonable hit in 2010. She feels it doubly difficult being a woman because “most producers assume that women as filmmakers are a loss-making proposition for the box office. Funding is tighter for women but if you have saleable actors attached, it is a different story.”

“I am strongly inspired by Satyajit Ray because he told stories with so much finesse that his visualisation is something we all look up to as filmmakers. I also admire and look up to the works of filmmakers like Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vishal Bharadwaj and Aparna Sen,” she sums up.