Using Airtel Blackberry As Modem

I am sure there are many people like me who are trying to use their Blackberry on Airtel Connection as modem (data-card) to browse on their laptops. The sad part is when you call 7070 (tech support), they say they do not provide support for the same.

So after lot of googling, researching, trial and error on this topic, I have successfully managed to connect my Blackberry to use it as a modem and browse internet (especially since I am on the unlimited plan).

So how does it work? Here are the steps

1) Please see that you have the Desktop Software is installed
2) Go to Control Panel --> Click on Phone and Modem Options
3) Click on Modem tab and you should see a Standard modem.
This gets installed along with your blackberry desktop software. If not there, you can download the modem driver from the blackberry website ( But it surely comes with package)
4) Select Standard Modem and select properties
5) A new window for Standard Modem will open
6) Click on the Diagnostics Tab and click on the Query tab, you shall get something like this

ATQ0V1E0 - OK
AT+GMM - BlackBerry IP Modem
AT+FCLASS=? - COMMAND NOT SUPPORTED
AT#CLS=? - COMMAND NOT SUPPORTED
AT+GCI? - COMMAND NOT SUPPORTED
AT+GCI=? - COMMAND NOT SUPPORTED

ATI1 - Research In Motion

BlackBerry IP Modem
ATI2 - Research in Motion BlackBerry IP Modem
ATI3 - Research in Motion BlackBerry IP Modem
ATI4 - Research in Motion BlackBerry IP Modem
ATI5 - Research in Motion BlackBerry IP Modem
ATI6 - Research in Motion BlackBerry IP Modem
ATI7 - Research in Motion BlackBerry IP Modem

7) Click on the Advanced Tab and enter the following extra initialization command
+cgdcont=1,"IP","airtelgprs.com",0,0

8) Click OK and close the window
9) Now go to Network Connections (in Control Panel or also in start-up window)
10) Click on "Create New connection" and then
- Select connect to the internet, click on Next
- Select Setup My connection manually", Click on Next
- Select "connect using a dial-up modem", Click Next
- Select "Modem - Standard model" ONLY, Click on Next
- In the name enter the name of your choic e.g."Blackberry Dial-up"
- Enter *99# as phone Number to dial, click next
- Select "Anyone's use", Click on Next
- For Internet account information leave everything empty (user name,password) ,
- Uncheck the 2 options, click next
- Check the "add a shortcut"(If you want the connection shortcut on Desktop),
- Finally Click ON FINISH

Now to connect
- Connect your Berry to the laptop and run the Desktop Software. THIS IS REQUIRED
- click on you new connection and dial and you should be connected and you can browse.
- On the blackberry you should see "Modem Mode Enabled"

Well hope this helps. HAPPY BROWSING :)

Relocation within India- Useful info

Hi All,

I am currently going through a painful experience of relocating from Bangalore to Mumbai. Now there are few things that, if you are relocating for the first time you should be aware of. If you do not have a vehicle (car/bike) for transportation then the relocation gets more easy.

Well in case you have a car/bike following are things you need to ensure when relocating within India:
- Get NOC ( No Objecting certicate) for the vehicle which wish to transfer from the current RTO where the vehicle is registered and state tax paid.
- For that you need to furnish the information of the RTO where the vehicle will be transferred to.
- If the vehicle is more than a year old be sure the emission test are done and the insurance is renewed as they are required for the NOC to be done
- If the vehcile is under hypothecation, then you need to get the hypothecation cancelled before you apply for the transfer or get an NOC from the organization on whose name the hypothecation is done. I will always suggest the former one but may vary from situation to situation
- For transporation within India you can use the services of any interstate transportation. www.transportmart.com is useful as it has list of all the mover& packers also list of people who provide vehicle transportation. Typically for a small car like Santro, Wagon-R and Bike like Splendor, Wind 125 combined the total transportation cost between Bangalore and Mumbai will be around 6500 INR.
- Once your vehicle reaches the new place where you are going to reside than you need to pay the life time tax (LTT) for the state or you can pay a yearly short term tax, in case you are going to relocate again.
- Once the LTT is paid in for the new state, than you need to furnish details at the RTO which will be sent to the old RTO where the vehicle was registered which will reimburse your LTT paid in their state ( This will be subject to deduction for the amount of time vehicle resided in the old state).

In addition one month before you date of moving
- Make a checklist of things you need to do
- Get all your bank/credit card information updated with your new address or the c/o address.
- See that all your outstanding dues are completed for landline, Internet and also the utilities.
- In case you are going through a mid-month cycle, see to it that in all your electric bills, gas bill you have a little higher amount paid than the previous bill depending on your usage which will even out once the new bills come in post your leaving the place.
- Plan your packing and moving so that its not a rush when the deadline approaches.

Well rest all is common sense and may wary from person to person.

Some useful websites
Transportation - http://www.transportmart.com/
Bangalore RTO - http://rto.kar.nic.in/
Q&A on interstate vehicle transfer : http://www.indiacar.com/askanexpert/drpasricha_ans.asp

Hope this information is useful and Happy Relocating !!!!

Chat transcript of Dr Devi Shetty..Very Useful !!

Recently a chat with Dr.Devi Shetty ( Heart Specialist, Narayana Hrudayala) was arranged by WIPRO for its employees .
The transcript of the chat is given below. I am posting this on my blog as I think it is extremely useful information for everyone.

Qn: What are the thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart ?
Ans:
1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil
2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and avoid sitting for a longtime
3. Quit smoking
4. Control weight
5. Control blood pressure and sugar

Qn: Is eating non-veg food (fish) good for the heart?
Ans: No

Qn: It's still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person gets a cardiac arrest. How do we understand it in perspective?
Ans: This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups.

Qn: Are heart diseases hereditary?
Ans: Yes

Qn: What are the ways in which the heart is stressed? What practices do you suggest to de-stress?
Ans: Change your attitude towards life. Do not look for perfection in everything in life.

Qn: Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required to keep a healthy heart?
Ans: Walking is better than jogging since jogging leads to early fatigue and injury to joints .

Qn: You have done so much for the poor and needy. What has inspired you to do so?
Ans: Mother Theresa , who was my patient.

Qn: Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases?
Ans: Extremely rare

Qn: Does cholesterol accumulates right from an early age
(I'm currently only 22) or do you have to worry about it only after you are above 30 years of age?
Ans: Cholesterol accumulates from childhood.

Qn: How do irregular eating habits affect the heart ?
Ans: You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body's enzyme release for digestion gets confused.

Qn: How can I control cholesterol content without using medicines?
Ans: Control diet, walk and eat walnut.

Qn: Can yoga prevent heart ailments?
Ans: Yoga helps.

Qn: Which is the best and worst food for the heart?
Ans: Fruits and vegetables are the best and the worst is oil.

Qn: Which oil is better - groundnut, sunflower, olive?
Ans: All oils are bad .

Qn: What is the routine checkup one should go through? Is there any specific test?
Ans: Routine blood test to ensure sugar, cholesterol is ok. Check BP, Treadmill test after an echo.

Qn: What are the first aid steps to be taken on a heart attack?
Ans: Help the person into a sleeping position , place an aspirin tablet under the tongue with a sorbitrate tablet if available, and rush him to a coronary care unit since the maximum casualty takes place within the first hour.

Qn: How do you differentiate between pain caused by a heart attack and that caused due to gastric trouble?
Ans: Extremely difficult without ECG.

Qn: What is the main cause of a steep increase in heart problems amongst youngsters? I see people of about 30-40 yrs of age having heart attacks and serious heart problems.
Ans: Increased awareness has increased incidents. Also, edentary lifestyles, smoking, junk food, lack of exercise in a country where people are genetically three times more vulnerable for heart attacks than Europeans and Americans.

Qn: Is it possible for a person to have BP outside the normal range of 120/80 and yet be perfectly healthy?
Ans: Yes.

Qn: Marriages within close relatives can lead to heart problems for the child. Is it true?
Ans : Yes, co-sanguinity leads to congenital abnormalities and you may not have a software engineer as a child

Qn: Many of us have an irregular daily routine and many a times we have to stay late nights in office. Does this affect our heart ? What precautions would you recommend?
Ans : When you are young, nature protects you against all these irregularities. However, as you grow older, respect the biological clock.

Qn: Will taking anti-hypertensive drugs cause some other complications (short / long term)? Ans : Yes, most drugs have some side effects. However, modern anti-hypertensive drugs are extremely safe.

Qn: Will consuming more coffee/tea lead to heart attacks?
Ans : No.

Qn: Are asthma patients more prone to heart disease?
Ans : No.

Qn: How would you define junk food?
Ans : Fried food like Kentucky , McDonalds , samosas, and even masala dosas.

Qn: You mentioned that Indians are three times more vulnerable. What is the reason for this, as Europeans and Americans also eat a lot of junk food?
Ans: Every race is vulnerable to some disease and unfortunately, Indians are vulnerable for the most expensive disease.

Qn: Does consuming bananas help reduce hypertension?
Ans : No.

Qn: Can a person help himself during a heart attack (Because we see a lot of forwarded emails on this)?
Ans : Yes. Lie down comfortably and put an aspirin tablet of any description under the tongue and ask someone to take you to the nearest coronary care unit without any delay and do not wait for the ambulance since most of the time, the ambulance does not turn up.

Qn: Do, in any way, low white blood cells and low haemoglobin count lead to heart problems? Ans : No. But it is ideal to have normal hemoglobin level to increase your exercise capacity.

Qn: Sometimes, due to the hectic schedule we are not able to exercise. So, does walking while doing daily chores at home or climbing the stairs in the house, work as a substitute for exercise? Ans : Certainly. Avoid sitting continuously for more than half an hour and even the act of getting out of the chair and going to another chair and sitting helps a lot.

Qn: Is there a relation between heart problems and blood sugar?
Ans: Yes. A strong relationship since diabetics are more vulnerable to heart attacks than non-diabetics.

Qn: What are the things one needs to take care of after a heart operation?
Ans : Diet, exercise, drugs on time , Control cholesterol, BP, weight.

Qn: Are people working on night shifts more vulnerable to heart disease when compared to day shift workers?
Ans : No.

Qn: What are the modern anti-hypertensive drugs?
Ans : There are hundreds of drugs and your doctor will chose the right combination for your problem, but my suggestion is to avoid the drugs and go for natural ways of controlling blood pressure by walk, diet to reduce weight and changing attitudes towards lifestyles.

Qn: Does dispirin or similar headache pills increase the risk of heart attacks? Ans : No.
Qn: Why is the rate of heart attacks more in men than in women? Ans : Nature protects women till the age of 45.

Qn: How can one keep the heart in a good condition?
Ans : Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food, exercise everyday, do not smoke and, go for health checkups if you are past the age of 30 ( once in six months recommended)...

US Visitor Visa for Parents

My parents recently got their 10 years mulitple entry Visitor Visa (B2) so that they can come and visit me here. The process to apply for VISA involves lot preparation from parents as well as the sponsorer side. I am posting my experience so that it may benefit other who are going through the process or wish to start it soon

Pre-VISA preparation:Parents side:

1. My dad and mom, did not have a marriage certifcate or birth certificate, so got an affidavit created from the same.
2. My dad has retired and used to work in garment store,so not much of pension to show. Got a letter of employment from the employer stating his service.
3. Got a letter from his bank manager on the bank letter head (Mentioning the date of account opening , Total deposits for last 3 years, Current Balance,3 months banks statements)
4. Affidavit of Assurance - Notarized
5. Proof of Property - Notarized
6. Got a letter from my brother's employer in Bangalore mentioning he is working since 9 years and his current address proof
7. Got a letter from my second brother's employer mentioning the same
8. Pictures of all the family member , grandkids

From my side:

• To kick start the process by paying the VISA fees and filling the form visit the VFS India website and go through the detail steps

Everything according to the checklist in Path2USa except my birth certificate

1. Invitation letter
2. Letter to Consulate
3. I-134
4. Account Verification Letter
5. I-797A ( Extension letter)
6. Letter of Employment and Salary Certificate on Employee Letter head-
7. 2 years W2
8. 3 months bank statements
9. Colour xerox of all pages of my passport

Next Steps- My parents tooks the following things

1. Checklist provided on VFS site (signed)- DS-156 for Dad and Mom
2. Yellow receipt
3. Copy of interview letter
4. Copy of front and last pages of passport
5. Copy of passport with "Remarks" and "Observation"

These documents had to be submitted at the address mentioned in the checklist minimum 5 dayas before. My parents submitted 11 days before

What happens when they went to submit the documents :-

1. Only the people who are appearing for interview are allowed.
2. No mobiles or any other stuff beside documents are allowed.
3. Both parents need to go
4. They give you a token and make you sit.
5. When your number is called, you go and submit the documents ( both parents at same time)-
6. They check the documents and the photograph
7. If anything is wrong they point out.
8. Anything wrong with the photo. They will take a photo immediately for you. So my suggestion. Staple the picture and do not GLUE it.
9. Then they make each of the parents sign on the register. - After that the person at the counter informs you about the option of a bus on the day of interview which will take you from this place to the consulate.
10. They charge you 200 Rs (As of May 2007) per voucher.
11. The voucher is optional but is a very good thing because on the day of interview, all you need to do is go half an hour before at the location. They give you seating place and depending on your interview time they send you by buses.
12. The advantage of going by this bus is you do not have to stand in huge queue outside the consulate and so your parents look fresh when they reach at the consulate

Finally interview day

1. Parents reached 45 minutes before to the same place where they showed the voucher.- Their interview was schedule for 8.30 am. The bus takes the people in batches
2. The bus dropped them at the consulate gate at 9.25 am.
3. ON entrance first, they went through a physical search. Please note try not to carry ANYTHING besides the file for documents
4. Then their BIOMETRICS (finger scanning) was done.
5. Next window, they said they required a hindi translator.
6. Then they were asked to submit their passports and they get an acknowledgement receipt with number on it.
7. IMPORTANT. After that they sat and waited for their name to be announced. The announcement done on the mike was very feeble. So tell your parents to be attentive.

Interview

1. Their name was called and they went to their window-There was lady translator and lady VO (Visa Officer) and these were the questions that they were asked

VO TO DAD: Whom are you going to visit?

DAD: MY youngest son, XXXXXXXX

VO TO DAD: Since when is he in US?

DAD - Answered the month and the year

VO TO DAD: Are you working?

DAD: No, I am retired

VO TO DAD: Where did you work?

DAD: I was working for XXXX which a private garment store as a Shop Manager

VO TO MOM: How many sons do you have

MOM: 3 sons

VO TO MOM: Where are they

MOM: Eldest son in XXXXwith his family and 2 kids. Second son in XXXXXwho has 1 kid

VO TO MOM: What do they do?

MOM: Eldest one work as an Engineer for XXX Technologies and Second son works in a garmen industry.

VO TO DAD: For how long do you want to go?

DAD: 4 to 5 months

VO TO DAD AND MOM: You have been granted the Visa.

It will be sent by courier.MOM AND DAD LEFT AND CALLED ME IMMEDIATELY.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER:-

• They were not asked documents but having the documents makes parents feel confident
• How you approach the window is observed-
• Tell them to carry a smile and take atleast 3-4 mock interviews with them. It really helps.

SOME USEFUL WEBSITE

• Path2USA
• Immihelp

I wish all elderly parents and their kids who are trying to get through this ordeal. All the very best. Please let me know for any queries or documents and I will be more than willing to help or provide information for the same

Dearest Visitors, If you think this blogpost has been useful to you, please drop a note or comment or even a word of criticism if it did not provide the necessary information. Thanks :)

The world of blogging

Around 3 months back my I was oblivious to the world of blogosphere. Today after being told by a friend, "Blogging is the present and the future", I have started exploring the world of blogging. The more I get into it, the more it draws me towards it.

There are many websites and blogs today which help the amateur bloggers to explore the world of blogging and understand the power of blogging like http://www.theblogrevenue.com/ ,http://clagnut.com/blog/89/ and many more.

To all the visitors and friends who come and peek at this site, get into this world of amazing potential and express yourself ...for the fun of writing or social networking or may be business networking and if nothing for the purpose of knowledge sharing and knowledge gaining..

happy blogging !!!!