Best Android emulator: Genymotion!

From past several days I have been working to setup a working android environment on Ubuntu. In the search for the same I have found Genymotion which is not only free for personal use but also one of the most robust software to emulate Android in its full glory.

In the quest to find the best android emulator I touched upon the default AVD (android virtual device) provided by Google itself as part of android SDK. But found it to be very slow and painfully stuttering to load each frame to display the changes made on the screen.

Also the default AVD doesn't offer device based emulators/virtual machines (VMs) to test more closer real time environments/android-devices

Genymotion user interface

You would also need to download four time bigger download for AVD (approximately 500 MB) as against genymotion (approximately 120 MB/VM).

Speed and smoothness on Genymotion are unparalleled by any other android emulator available in the market today.

Choosing the type of virtual device is a very streamlined affair on genymotion where in you would find preset devices with setting ideal for a particular device and the user would only need to choose and play (something like plug and play).

In AVD the Google's default emulator the settings are more technical and a novice user would lose his way setting up each and every tiny details to setup a VM.

AVD (Google's Android Virtual Device interface)

So the verdict is go for Genymotion here. Enjoy yourself. The genymotion android Roms would not come with the gapps support hence download them according to the tutorial here.

Review: Windows or Macintosh or Linux

In todays world of endless OS choice it is becoming increasingly difficult to make a choice for an OS that would actually satisfy all the needs of a user.
I have tried to put together a small round up all the OS currently available and the options available to use these OS's differently so that we can achieve maximum losing nothing.

So lets start with Windows, our dear old OS.

Windows (desktop):

Advantages:

• Windows has a wide user base and hence you can be rest assured that your OS will be supported for a longer time and you will enjoy premium treatment from Microsoft.
• Major proportion of desktop software engineers contribute to Windows OS hence the option when it comes to getting done something is relatively much easier in Windows.
• If you have deployed Windows as primary OS at work (like 75% of the industry does)Training costs are minimal given that the existing work population is already accustomed to the OS and how to work with it.
• For developers minor tweaks are enough to make their existing software to be compatible with a newer Windows build (until or unless Microsoft decides to flip flop the complete windows OS base).

Disadvantages:

• The  market share of the OS is declining making Microsoft lazy about investing in Windows Indigenousness.
• Microsoft is no more an "innovative" company to see radical/welcome changes in the OS. (the organization has gone into a so called "lack of ideas" region of late).
• The existing ecosystem is made to shrink due to introduction of more advanced and free of cost other OS available in market.
• Price tag is a cause of concern for companies as they look at cutting costs (its like a toothpaste once  brand is changes it is set to stay with the family (company) for a long time if the new brand clicks among the family (company)).
• Not accepted in other form factors apart from Desktop by users.

Macintosh:

Advantages:

 

• Stable, polished, well supported and pretty much virus/Trojan/worm resistant.
• Built to last. Can be assured that the quality of the hardware and software are premium for the price tag it comes with.
• The user interface is easy to use.
• Integration with other Apple products such as iPod, iPhone etc.
• Can run Windows as a dual boot due to the chip set similarity (Intel chips) between Windows and Mac.

Disadvantage:

• The cost of owning a Mac is too high.
• Not a gaming friendly OS.
• One would not find his or her expected application/software in some of the rare industry types (where in at the same time each and every software industry has a software available for windows)
• OS is not available as a standalone software for manufacturers to integrate into their own hardware.

Linux:

Advantages:

• Plethora of Open source applications.
• Free of cost
• Literally virus free and safe.
• Independent of Hardware specifications. The latest version of any Linux flavor would run on any old machine as well.
• Wide range of OS choices to suit you different needs.
• OTA updates for up to date OS and softwares.

Disadvantages:

• Difficult for a novice user to get used to the normal Linux commands (though of late newer favors are emerging with user centric approach making the OS more friendlier to the user than ever before (e.g. Ubuntu)).
• Difficult to find drivers to few hardware making the OS take lesser advantage of the Hardware itself.
• Cross platform apps not available yet that easily for Linux. (e.g. Windows software would not run on Linux).

Review for Narendra Modi: The Prime Minister of India!

The election results in India have been more than the expectations probably what BJP had as no had expected the BJP to cross 272 mark single handedly.

The general presumption was that NDA in its entirety would achieve simple majority. But the numbers coming up are showing a BJP standalone "seriously stable government" at the center in India. Which of-course is huge news comes with lots of happiness and questions on what strategies would Modi adopt in cleaning up the existing financial mess. The best part for Narendra Modi is he created a beautiful situation in which he doesn't need to rule according to the whims and fantasies of the allies

1. The GDP growth is slowing down quicker.
2. Inflation should be contained as soon as possible else the projected poor monsoon would for sure affect the crops and hence sore the inflation figures.
3. Unemployment is on the rise.
4. Subsidies extended by the Manmohan singh led UPA (or Sonia/Rahul led) government to the citizens is burning the treasuries to null.
5. Foreign policies have caused bitter relationships with all the regional players and neighboring countries.
6. Fiscal deficit needs to be contained with quick measures to attract FDI and hence help improve the financial health of the country. This would actually give Narendra Modi stronger hands to implement schemes which he would deem appropriate rather than sitting down idle with tied down hands.
7. The Budget in the June 2014 should be a clear indicator of the things in pipeline.
8. Tackle few the regional issues specific to few states.
9. PAKISTAN: A great pain to tackle.
10. Illegal immigration: another worry which he needs to approach more diplomatically.
11. By showing some hard stances in solving the issues which India is facing today Narendra Modi would achieve the industry's confidence and raise his bar in the people's mind who are looking for desperate change in the way things are administered currently.

All the best @narendramodi !

How to clean copper utensils/articles

Copper items often hold on to the water marks if allowed to dry even for a small time frame of 10-15 minutes.

Here is the solution which could save you rigorous effort and time in cleaning and making your copper utensils shine again.

•  
•  You would require a some lemon, sugar and water. The quantity of each of these would be dependent on the number of copper articles you have to shine-up!
• In this example we would consider we have two utensils which are of half litre size (water holding capacity).
• Now squeeze the two lemons into a 600 ml water and ad little sugar probably a teaspoon. Now mix the contents well. 
• Take a big enough plastic bowl to pour this solution (600 ml).
• Now immerse the copper article into this solution and allow the citric acid to take effect for couple of hours. 
• Voila! after couple of hours you would not believe your eyes looking at the utensil shining like new!

Now lemons are the key ingredient hence I would leave it to you to decide the quantity based on practical scenarios.

Using tamarind as well works but takes longer and more tamarind plus you would need to wipe using the tamarind the surface of copper so that you get the perfection in shine. Hence I did not recommend the tamarind method.

Try the above tip and see the results for yourself!