Trial and error specialist

From installing gadgets to using them, Milind Pathak, co-CEO and country manager, Buongiorno (Hong Kong), India, needs no assistance whatsoever. Referring to tech manuals is considered passé among geeks and Pathak seems to subscribe to that view as well. Although it did take him a good two weeks to get started with his new Apple MacBook, he says it was the longest ever he has taken to understand a gadget.

What’s been the most recent gadget that you bought and installed?
It was the BlackBerry Bold, which has been a great help in synchronising emails even on the run. Also, it has high speed network and the 624-MHz processor that supports my need to multitask and prioritise between access to voice and data services at the same time.

Did you refer to tech manuals while setting up the device?
It would be boring to go through a manual, and moreover I like to explore things myself. I am inquisitive about gadgets. So I do my device researches online. I found out that BlackBerry Bold sports a terrific keyboard and an array of corporate email and infrastructure-friendly characteristics that I needed in my new smartphone.

Did you face any problems during the BlackBerry Bold installation?
Not really. The only area, where I had some trouble was to set-up my MMS feature. I figured that it was telecom network dependent.

What will be your advice to people who want to go the do-it-yourself way for their gadgets?
I would encourage everyone to enjoy the do-it-yourself way. It’s thrilling and interesting. But a word of caution, do read a little about the gadget.

How do you help your kids with their gadgets?
I help my nine-year-old daughter Esha with consoles like Nintendo Wii. As I encourage trial and error, my daughter and I are discovering gadgets together.

Are there any gadgets that you wish you had used earlier?
Remote control model airplanes and helicopters are fun, although I am still exploring these gadgets.

What is the closest that you have come face-to-face with a tech disaster?
I tried to sync my older phone, the E71’s contact book with the new BlackBerry Bold through a software called ZYB. It essentially backs up all the contact information on your phone to the Internet, but it went haywire. I could have lost all my contacts that were stored on the phone. It would have been a big mess had I lost my data.