Platter of Half Baked Ideas

Came across this very factual article about state of Radio Cab Services in India. The original article can be found here . Rashi had to discontinue driving after she entered her sixth month of pregnancy. Every evening, she would call a few taxi services (Meru, City Taxi, Spot Taxi etc) but none of them would have a cab available for her from Manyata Tech Park, Bangalore, to her home 9 kms away, even when she would call three hours in advance. Olacabs came to the rescue with the phone app that would locate the closest unoccupied cab and its driver’s details would be smsed to her, and he would call her back to confirm the exact address. Things became easier, instead of calling multiple cab services, all she has to now do was just launch an app and tap a button. It was good but for an occasional driver driving rash despite frequent requests otherwise. This daily routine went on fine for some time till one morning when she requested a cab, the nearest one was 10 kms away. The driver c...

We live in a wireless world. Except we don’t. Sure, we can send huge amounts of information across the airwaves, but the devices capable of sending and receiving it are tied down to power cords. Batteries allow some freedom but, eventually, we all have to come back around to the familiar face of the power outlet. What if we didn’t? What if we could charge anywhere, at any time? This is the promise of wireless charging, a concept that seems ripped from sci-fi. But it’s not – it’s real, and it’s available today. Let’s look at the reality and see what this technology can and can’t accomplish. How Wireless Charging Works The term “wireless charging” usually refers to inductive charging. This technology uses a charging station that creates an alternating magnetic field. A device with the proper induction coil will receive energy from that field when it is placed nearby, making it receive power without a physical connection. Cordless toothbrushes and other bathroom devices have u...