Have car, will forgo driver

GIZMOGEEK

From running an upmarket salon in Mumbai to growing the reputed French salon brand in other Indian cities to being an elegant geek, Dharmendra Manwani, CEO of Jean-Claude Biguine, balances his responsibilities quite effortlessly and with style.

What was the last time your gadgets came to your rescue?
Controlling my car through my mobile phone gives me access to my car dashboard, which has always come to my rescue. There have been instances when I have locked my keys inside the car, but since my car security can be managed through my phone, it has always saved me the trouble of looking for spare keys.

What is the most stylish gadget you have ever owned?
The Dash Navigation GPS is the most stylish gadget that I own. The name might sound geeky, but the way it fits on the dashboard of my car makes it look so tasteful. This gadget not only helps me locate my destinations, but also showcases the entire roadmap, with live details about the traffic ahead.

Which of your gadgets are you proudest of?
My Apple laptop, the iPhone and a top-of-the-line car audio system make my life much simpler. With these in place, I carry my office wherever I go — in addition to certain elements of entertainment, too.

If you could, what kind of dream gadget would you build?
If I could build a gadget I would create a car that can drive itself without the physical presence of a driver.

What is the longest time you have ever spent trying to understand and master a gadget?
I have always enjoyed my quick learning skills when it comes to gadgets I love. So I do not particularly remember having spent more than an hour or two to learn about the basic features of the gadgets.

What is the perfect geeky gift for you?
If concept turns into reality, then Pillete’s new concept Bluetooth headset would be the ideal gift for me. What differentiates this headset from typical Bluetooth devices is its nano size, which makes it almost invisible to the untrained eye when one is wearing it. It is so tiny that it barely pokes out of your ear. While it doesn’t exist quite yet, it’s a look at where headset design will be headed.

Is there an ultra-expensive gadget that you want to buy?
I want to buy Triode-tube iPod speakers. These speakers claim to “soften” the digital distortion you sometimes hear with compressed music formats like MP3 and AAC

Have you ever fixed a broken gadget on your own?
Experimenting with gadgets has always been an exciting venture for me. I have tried fixing a million gadgets and some of them have never worked again. But that just added a layer of curiosity for me and thus, recently, I had a proud moment when I fixed my digital video recorder, which had my latest and precious video snapshots. That recorder is now up and running!