Caught in the Web

Prem Kumar, CEO (India) of Fly Mobile logs nearly 10 long hours on the Internet every day, and yet he is nowhere close to being bored of the World Wide Web. He is, in fact, using the online medium and web portals to drive his company closer to his target audience, and loves every minute he spends interacting on the Web.

Is there any particular gadget you would like to get for yourself?
Of late, personal navigation devices with digital maps have caught my attention, and I wish to have one fitted in my car. Roads in New Delhi can be very confusing and I believe a navigator would be of great help. Besides this, I intend to use a Fly Mobile EVDO phone soon enough, as nothing matches it when it comes to high-speed data transfer and the Internet experience on a handheld device.

Given the chance, do you prefer a do-it-yourself approach when it comes to your gizmos?
I have been hands-on with my gadgets since I was a kid. Even today, I get a kick when I open a gadget for the first time, assemble it, if required, and then get down to the necessary set-up and installation. It takes a lot of time, and that’s why

I prefer to do it at night when there are no phones buzzing to disturb me.

What was your most extravagant gadget buy?
Having compared the plasma technology with LCD, I decided to go in for a large-format plasma screen for myself. To complete the home theatre experience, I have also invested in a good DVD player and speaker system with surround sound. Though I had to shell out a bomb for the whole thing, it’s worth the experience.

What do you think of eco-friendly gadgets?
I have a solar charger for my mobile phone, which is a perfectly eco-friendly device. While I cannot claim that I actively seek green technology, I do believe that, given recent trends and their market acceptability, green products will be all-pervasive sooner than we think. Initially they may be priced a little higher, but that is a choice the consumer will have to make in the future.

If money were no object, what gadget would you blow it on?
I would rush to buy Ultrasone, the world’s most expensive headphones, or a Nakamichi music system with gold-plated circuit boards, because when it comes to enjoying music nothing holds a candle to them.

Have you ever made an embarrassing mistake while exhibiting your gizmos?
Recently, I had guests over. As I was showing off my newly acquired home theatre system, the DVD player accepted the CD but nothing came on the TV screen. It was only after quite some tinkering that I realised that I had disconnected the audio and video input cable from the DVD player and hadn’t plugged it back.

Have you thought of harnessing the power of online branding for your company?
I believe an urban kid spends less time on TV and more on sites like YouTube. Since Fly Mobile is a brand that targets and attracts youth primarily, we have put up a new micro-site called Why Not? that embodies the attitude of youth. We have also uploaded video clips from portals like YouTube that are sure to make heads turn and notice the brand. I am very keen to use YouTube proactively to position Fly Mobile amidst all the clutter.

How many hours a day do you spend on the Internet?
I cannot think of being away from my email, which also means that I have to have access to Internet and answer emails almost all the time, whether I am in the office or on the move. So, I think I must be spending more than nine hours a day on the Internet.

If you could, what kind of dream gadget would you buuild yourself?
I would build a smartphone or handheld device that has GSM, CDMA and satellite telephony built into it. It will be ideal for video calls and capable enough to receive DTH signals, too. This way, the device can play all TV channels on the go. A hybrid netbook in the shape of a mobile phone — that’s what my dream gadget would be.