iOS 7 in iPhone 4 - First Impressions

Upgrade requires 3.7 GB free space, had to sacrifice some of the installed apps temporarily to make room. 

Installation took close to an hour. It retained all my settings including wifi settings etc (as usual). The UI will take some time to get used to, large animations kind of on your face type. 

There is a noticeable lag compare to ios 6 in iphone 4, I assume it is mainly due to the added animations. The control center is very useful! You can  enable or disable wifi, bluetooth from there. Control center is accessible even when the phone is locked. It also got a torch function. 

Couple of new sounds added for ringtone and alerts, i liked it. No Siri :(, camera mode allows you to add filters before you post or share it. 

Overall I am happy with the upgrade, it seems to have added a fresh look to my three year old iphone :) 

Btw iOS 7 supports per app vpn and sso across applications, interesting from an enterprise and usability perspective.

Rainbow

Nice double rainbow today!

Quick Guide to Rome

If you are planning to visit rome for vacation it is an excellent decision, i learned few things in my recent trip and i hope this information is useful to you

1) Plan to stay near to termini station , there are quite a few hotels around
You can check the reviews and book the accommodation via booking.com

2) while choosing hotel give more importance to reviews than star rating
3) Internet - if you buy a pre paid SIM from TIM you get internet free for 4 weeks, You can locate TIM retail shop on first floor of termini station near ciao restaurant. Check the current offer in the store, you will need passport to get a SIM

As of today a prepaid sim costs 10 euro, microSIM 12 euro

4) Roma pass is a good option to consider if you are on a short trip, google for roma pass for details, it gives you free transport in public transportation

5) you will need minimum a week in rome :)

6) indian food is available near termini station, small outlets but food is good (only non veg)

7) There is a indian restaurant "Maharaja" walkable distance from termini, food is ok!

8) if you are tight timeline consider open110 , two days ride costed me 18 euro per person. Works similar to hop on hop off type tour, covers most popular places. Don't miss evening ride, night in rome is memorable especially around christmas

9) there are quite a few museums, i liked borghese gallery, capitolione and vatican museum

10) if you wish for a audience with pope plan before, you need a ticket (free), audience is on wednesday and sunday

I enjoyed my trip and I wish you have a wonderful time in Rome

Helsinki

A week long in San Francisco

It is a brief and nice trip away from home! I love this place completely :) the beach , weather (just like bangalore) down town and the crowd! I stayed in Redwood city during my stay. I felt like this place has some nice laid back approach even though it is near to silicon valley , I learnt real estate is quite expensive here but i wouldn't mind taking a mansion and settling down here one day!

Couple of snaps from the trip

The guy below is popular in local and creates stone arts as hobby, look at the stones standing on their own! I watched him making it, no glue stuff!



Finally made it! (the man has sure passion!! and lot of patience)




Some Hotie!! I spotted during the foot ball game



One more Cheer leader!






























We had some nice time in crawdaddy (it is cajourn eatery known for crawfish, they bring these large bags with crawfish / corn and spices all cooked together, you need to remove the tail shell and suck the meat of , more the spicy the merrier!!) lot of effort for little meat but worth it! (you should try the fire version :) )

A Weekend ride to Ooty

The horse that took me there!




What more you need to cheer you up in the morning!



For a relaxed evening you have lake (not in holidays season :) )



Lovely deers ( I spotted many very close but it was raining and i don't want to risk the camera)



Not a wild one :)



XBHP logo



Lovely church (we were too near and on the way back! couldn't take whole snap)



Back to bangalore!!

Leh - Ladakh Bike Trip - Day 8 & 9 - Return Journey Sarchu - Manali - Delhi

Heavy Rain and fog in Rohtang La (Absolutely zero visibility while descending!)












Daffodils !!