Namaste!

FAQs on NRE deposits

2012-01-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

Check out my introduction to NRE Deposits for additional information/links

People tell me that the US$ might cross Rs 55 in the next 3-6 months. Should I wait?
- Needless to say – exchange rates depend on various factors, and it’s hard to accurately predict the future exchange rates
- Assuming a 9% pa interest, Rs 53 will become Rs 54.2 (before taxes) in 3 months.
- It’s your call on whether you want a guaranteed increase of Rs 2.2 (pre-tax) vs a possible increase of Rs 3+
- Do a similar calculation if you are expecting to see a bigger change in the exchange rate
- As I've mentioned in my introduction, exchange rate variations are the biggest risk to these FDs
Should I go with cumulative NRE FDs (i.e. interest get compounded) or with standard NRE FDs (i.e. interest get paid out monthly/quarterly)
- Factors to consider include – do you prefer keeping the interest income in INR or in US$ (consider exchange rate risks), your current vs future tax bracket
What time-period would you recommend, for the NRE FD?
- Depends on your situation. With some banks (e.g. SBI) the penalty for early-withdrawal is a reduction of interest by 0.5% p.a. (which isn’t too bad)
How do the NRE FDs compare with the tax-free infrastructure bonds?
- Currently, NRE FDs offer a higher interest rate (9.25% vs 8.5%)
- Money kept in NRE FDs are easier to repatriate
- Maximum time period of NRE FDs is 10 years, whereas some of the infrastructure bonds are for 15 years
- Bonds can be traded before the time-period ends
- Bonds could be sold for a premium, if interest rates decrease at a later point
- Check out a discussion on this topic here
- If your tax status changes to resident, you may be liable to pay Indian Income tax on the income generated from NRE deposits.

If you have additional questions, please leave a comment & I will try to respond to it.

NRE Fixed deposits - 101

2012-01-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

With the US$/INR exchange rate at an all-time high, andbanks offering 9+% interest on NRE fixed-deposits – many people are considering NREdeposits. Here’s a quick introduction to help with your decision.

1. Differences between NRO & NREaccounts/deposits

a. NRO deposits are tax-deductible at source by theIndian government, whereas NRE deposits are tax-free in India (but are taxablein the country of your residence)

b. Repatriating money from NRO accounts/deposits takesnon-trivial paperwork & has a limit of $250k per year. Repatriating moneyfrom NRE accounts are easier.
c. NRO accounts can be jointly owned by resident Indians, and can be used to depost income earned in rupees

d. I believe NRE accounts need to be closed if youmove back to India?

2. Risks with NRE/NRO deposits

a. Exchange rate could become unfavorable (i.e., ifexchange rate increases after you transfer the funds, you could lose money). Historical change of the exchange rate is here ; the rupee has to depreciate 6+% each year (on an avg) to cause siginficant losses

b. NRE/NRO deposits are only insured for Rs 1 Lakh(unlike FDIC that covers deposits upto $250K in the US). That said, banks in India are a lot more conversative unlike their foregin counterparts.

c. Policy changes either by the Indian or the US government
d. At the end of the day, compare the risks of a NRE FD with the other investment choices that you have.

3. Current interest rates & terms on NREdeposits are listed here

a. For the past 2 weeks, rates have been changingalmost every day. Check out the latestnews for any updates.

4. To open a NRE FD, you need to have an NRE accountwith a bank offering NRI services

a. (Ratings &) discussion comparing variousNRI banks is here

b. Popular public-sector banks include SBI (SBI Cal may be able to help you open anaccount)

c. Popular private-sector banks include HDFC, ICICI

d. IDBI seems tooffer instant & online account opening

e. Factors to consider when selecting a NRI bank – stabilityof the bank, interest rates, terms for premature withdrawal , ease of withdrawal,online features, customer service, etc

5. To fund the NRE account/deposit, you need totransfer money via one of the remittance services

a. Ratings of various remittance/transfer services are listedhere

b. Current exchange rates offered by variousremittance/transfer services are listed here

c. Many US banks can wire funds to your NRI accountdirectly, but the exchanges rates are typically very bad
d. SBI NY offers a remittance service with a pre-determined and good exchange rate (though it's a little inconvenient since they rely on faxes for all transactions/paperwork).

Check out some additional FAQs here

Healthy Indian diets....

2011-12-31T12:21:00.000-08:00

Came across this useful book about Healthy Indian diets. This book is written by Indian doctors (in the US), with a special focus on common health problems among South Asians in the US. There’s a chapter for each major cuisine in India. At the very least, take a few minutes to read about your staple cuisine.

Some tips from the book for changes in South Indian diets...

1. Use brown rice instead of white rice. The increase in fiber content will improve glycemic control. There is a general misconception that diabetics must avoid all rice, which is not necessary. Avoiding excess portions is the key.

2. Instead of using rice as the main staple grain, include a variety of grains such as cracked wheat, oats, barley, quinoa, ragi and other millets.

3. Avoid washing rice several times before cooking or cooking in excess water and draining.

4. Keep in mind that the recommended portions are for cooked products wherever applicable. e.g.1 Serving of dhal= 2 Tbsp of uncooked dhal 1 Serving of rice = 3 Tbsp. of uncooked rice. This is important because the finished product may vary greatly in quantity and consistency!

5. Try to cook with minimum amount of oil. Preferred oils are olive, canola or peanut oils as they are high in monounsaturated oils.

6. While using potato, green plantain or other starchy vegetables, remember to count them as carbohydrates and cut down on rice eaten at the same meal. Smarter thing would be to select green vegetables more often than starchy ones.

7. Use green vegetables more freely and learn to cook them in small amounts of oil. Salads are good with every meal. Simple lemon and vinegar dressings may be freely used.

8. Switch over to fat free, skim or 1% milk instead of whole milk. This will reduce the saturated fat and calorie content of the diet.

9. Avoid fried snack foods as much as possible; learn to cook with recipes requiring dry roasting, baking etc. Remember people with diabetes are more susceptible to high cholesterol in their blood, as well as heart disease.

10. Use lean cuts of animal proteins (meats/poultry) and use appropriate portion sizes. Avoid using more than 3 eggs per week. Egg whites are okay.

11. Vegetarians may increase and improve the quantity and quality of protein by incorporating soy curd (tofu), soy flour, skim milk powder, nut butters and if allowed, egg whites.

12. Pickles, chutneys, pappadums, etc. are very high in sodium. People with hypertension must take note that table salt, baking powder, and baking soda are sources of sodium and therefore must be used carefully.

13. Desserts must be restricted to allowed quantities of fresh fruits. Artificially sweetened low fat desserts or desserts using allowed foods with minimal amount of real sugar may be used with prudence.

14. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, at least 6 to 8 cups a day.

15. Learn to read the nutrition labels on food packages.

Best Indian veg food on Seattle's Eastside

2011-07-17T01:31:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorites are listed below (in so specific order).

Indian-style Pizzas from CanAm Pizza (in Bellevue)
Gobi Manchurian & Dahi Bhalla from Kanishka (in Redmond)
Idli and Dosa from Sadya Palace (in Redmond). Idli & Dosa batter from Curry Point, if you prefer making it yourself.
Kaati Rolls from Anju's (in Kirkland)
Onion Kulcha, Naan (and vegetarian curries) from Pabla (in Issaquah)
Gulab Jamun from Punjab Sweets (in Kent)
Chaat and Indian Pastries from Mayuri Bakery (in Bellevue)
South-Indian Buffet from Udupi Cafe (in Bellevue)
Dosas & Paneer Tikka from Spice Route (in Bellevue)
Indo-chinese food from Inchin (in Redmond)
Mysore Bonda & Veg Biriyani from Curry Point (in Redmond)

What are some of your favorites?

"Big Truck Day" in Redmond

2011-07-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

Get up close and personal with big trucks, tractors and construction equipment. Spend an afternoon at the park climbing on and around all sorts of big vehicles. Hard hat and a tractor pulled hayride are included. This is a self-directed event, come early and stay as long as you like, or arrive later and miss the crowds. Pre-registration required; register each child seperately.

You can register on the phone (or online). Registration info is here

More info about the event is here
Event code (for registration) is 36074

Date: Friday, 26th Aug 2011 (from 12:00 PM - 03:00 PM)

Location:
Farrel-McWhirter Park - Hutcheson Picnic Shelter

19545 Redmond Road
REDMOND, WA 98052

Comparision of child care options

2010-11-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

Check out a comparision of Bright Horizons (in Redmond), Living Montessori (aka Planet Kids in Bellevue) & other child care options here . Please note that these are specific to Seattle's Eastside.

Review: GoToBus bus tour of Niagara

2010-10-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

We went a bus tour to Niagara Falls (from Boston, MA). We booked the tour via GoToBus.com; the tour itself was operated by Sunshine Travels. I took this tour with my parents, and here's a summary of our experiences.

Quick Summary:

Overall, the trip was nice. Among the good things...

Ease of searching for tours & making a reservation via GoToBus.com
We were able to cover Niagara comfortably in 2 days. The logisitics were planned well, and we were mostly on schedule in every place.
Since, someone else was driving, I could spend some quality time with my folks.
The price of the tour was very reasonable (esp because of the buy-2-get-1-free offer)

Among the things that I didn't like...

The quality of the hotel was pretty bad.
Attitude of the tour-guide when pushing everyone to pay for the "optional" attractions & service-fee wasn't good.

Detailed version:

The first thing to note is that GoToBus.com is not a tour operator...they connect you to various tour operators & make it easy to make a reservation. So, your experiences could vary quite a bit based on which company organizes the tour (our tour operator was Sunshine Travel; they are based in Boston).

Booking the tour: We booked the tour online (at http://www.gotobus.com/ ). This wesbsite is pretty easy to use. The website has detailed information about the tours (including detailed itinerary, exclusions, customer-reviews, points-of-pick-up, optinal attractions, etc). I had to call their customer service a couple of times -- there wasn't a long hold-time, and the reps were very helpful. The process of booking the trip itself was a breeze. The Niagara tour that we chose had a buy-2-get-1-free offer -- so, the price was pretty good. BTW, GoToBus has a policy of not revealing the tour operator before you book the tour.
Pick-up location: We were scheduled to be picked-up at 7:45am from a "Service area" on I-90. Being from the west-coast, I didn't know what "service area" actually meant -- I called up GoToBus to get it clarified (though their response wasn't very clear). After reading online, I figured it was some sort of a "rest area" on the freeway -- which turned out to be correct (except that "service areas" tend to typically have a food-court & a gas-station). The pick-up was in the parking lot of the "service area/plaza" -- in the parking area specifically meant for buses (it's hard to miss this once you are in the service area)
Pick-up on the day of the tour: We got a call at 7am from the bus driver saying that he was running about 10 mins late. At around 8am, two mini buses arrived. The tour description said that the tour will be in a luxury coach (with an on-board toilet) - -but, I guess they switched to mini-buses since the number of people of the tour was somewhat lesser. The mini-buses seemed comfortable, but didn't have an on-board toilet. The mini-buses worked out better for my parents, since it was a little more easier to get in/out of the bus. One of the drivers of the mini-buses was also the tour-guide. He gave instructions in both English & Chinese. His English was a little hard to understand, but was manageable. Among the passnegers -- there were 3-4 of families from India & Europe; the rest were Asian.
Journey to Niagara: We stopped every 2 hrs or so, at service-areas for bio-breaks/lunch/snacks. Most of the service-areas had some coffee shops, one or two fast-food places (McDonalds was fairly common, Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Gino's were among the other ones that we saw). Typically, there was at least one or two decent vegetarian choices (eg: Veggie burger, veggie Pizza, etc). My folks had packed some food from home, and they ate that.
Optional attractions/excursions: During one of the stops, the guide told us that we need to pay $65/passenger towards the entrance fees of the "optional" attractions & the service-fee for the driver & the guide. $65 was on the higher side (since the website listed only 3 paid-attractions that would cost about $40 total). With this, the guide/driver would make a pretty decent "service-fee" (abt $25/passenger on a tour that costs $155/passenger). When one of the passengers said that they would prefer to not see the paid attractions - the guide was pretty upset (I guess because he wouldn't get the service fee). I was a little annoyed by the attitude of the guide in pushing everyone to pay for the "optional attractions".
First attraction (Thousand Islands): Our first paid attraction was a boat ride around the "Thousand Islands". I wasn't expecting much at this place....but it turned out to be a cute place. We enjoyed the boat ride.
Reaching Niagara: We reached Niagara at around 8pm. The drive + breaks + stay at Thousand Islands took a total of 12 hours. The first stop in Niagara was at a mall/food-court (right opposite the Niagara Falls state-park) for dinner. There was one Indian restaurant at this food-court, and we ended up having naan & curry. The food was mostly OK.
Night view of the Niagara Falls: We had a brief stop-over to see the night-view of Niagara falls. It was a little too cold & raining. This stop-over didn't seem very useful.
Stay at the hotel: We reached the hotel at around 10:30pm. It seemed like a 1 or a 2-star hotel (I think it's called "America's Best Value Inn" or something similar). It was a run-down hotel with interiors that needed updates. The room was pretty basic & had 2 queen beds with a TV. It was my first ever stay at a 2-star hotel & I wasn't too excited about it. We realized that the toilet wasn't working -- so, we were moved to a different room. The hotel offered free breaskfast (muffins, toast, cereal, etc). The quality of this hotel was my biggest complaint of this tour.
Visiting the Falls: We reached falls at around 9am. The second paid attraction was the IMAX movie -- we went to the movie, while a few other passengers went to "Cave of the Winds" (this was not part of the tour; so these folks had to arrange their own transporation). After the movie, we took a ride on the "Maid of the Mist" (this was the third paid attraction). The guide had our tickets ready...so, we didn't have to wait in line. After the ride, we got a chance to spend some time in the area around the falls, and do some shopping at the gift-shop.
Lunch: We had to come back to the same food court for lunch. This time, we decided to try Idly-Sambar at the same restaurant. To our pleasant surprise, the idlis were very nice & soft (better than at most Indian restaurants in the Seattle area). We ran into a group from NY, who had booked their trip on GoToBus (but the tour was operated by a different company) -- they had extremely good things to say about their tour (they stayed at a decent Holiday Inn).
Journey back: We left Niagara at around 6:45pm. We requested the driver to drop us at a different service-area (that was not part of the itinerary), and he agreed.

4 new Indian restaurants open-up in 6+ weeks

2010-09-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

The Seattle-Eastside has seen 4 new Indian restaurants open up, just in the past 6+ weeks -- all within a 2-mile radius. With 20+ Indian restaurants around, it will be a stiff competition.

Tandoori Fire in Redmond, WA
India King in Bellevue, WA (opposite the crossroads mall; buffet-only)
Oh! India in Bellevue, WA (in the crossroads mall)
Royal India in Bellevue, WA (next to Chuck E Cheese in Bellevue; not to be confused with Royal India in Kirkland)

UrbanSpoon lists 113 Indian restaurants in/around Seattle -- and, I'm sure that this is not a complete list.

Indian Radio stations on Roku

2010-09-05T22:35:00.000-07:00

Quite a few Indian Radio stations are available (for free) on Roku via the RadioTime channel. Check out http://radiotime.com/region/c_100355/India.aspx to see if your favorite station is available.

Read my earlier post on watching Indian TV Channels on Roku

Links related to Distributed Caches

2010-09-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

A good feature comparision of various available cache technologies is here ; and here's a good introduction to caching

East Coast Tours

2010-08-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

We are looking for US East-coast tour operators (preferably someone that offer Indian meals). I know about GoToBus.com ; any other recommendations?

Here are some links that i could find....
http://www.r2iclubforums.com/forums/showthread.php/7058-East-Coast-New-York-bus-tours
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/east-coast-bus-tours-10411.html

EDIT #1: Check out a detailed review of our GoToBus tour here

Indian TV Channels on Roku

2010-08-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

I got a chance to play Roku earlier in the week. Roku's UI is very simple to use. Support for NetFlix is awesome. Roku's UI & the "channel store" reminds of iPhone's AppStore (not sure which came first, Roku's ChannelStore or iPhone's AppStore).

Quite a few providers of Indian TV Channels online (YuppTV.com, ChannelLive.TV, Reliable IPTV, Tamil IPTV, etc) are available on Roku (complete listing is here). I got a chance to play YuppTV's test channel. The quality is not bad at all. But, the selection of channels is somewhat limited. Wish WatchIndia.TV (which offers a lot more channels) was available on Roku.

PS: My review of WatchIndia.TV is here

Finding bank-owned homes

2010-08-23T23:59:00.000-07:00

Nice article on finding/buying bank-owned homes -- http://seattlebubble.com/blog/2010/08/23/how-to-find-bank-owned-homes/
REO listings of various banks -- http://ceforward.com/?p=376

Indian Karaoke Songs

2010-08-22T23:04:00.000-07:00

I've looking for a decent karaoke setup for Indian songs. Recently, I got a chance to use the karaoke service from MeraGana . It's a pretty nice service; no need for expensive equipment/setup -- just play it on your laptop (or connect the laptop to your TV).

Bollywood songs on Pandora

2010-08-22T22:57:00.000-07:00

Pandora seems to now have reasonably decent collection of Indian movie songs. Pandora's service is great -- definitely worth checking out, if you haven't already done so.

Calling India from the US

2010-08-22T22:51:00.000-07:00

In the past, I have used various pre-paid calling services (like Reliance Global Call, Airtel CallHome, etc) to call India. With the launch of Ooma's new International plan offering 1000 minutes to India (and 70 other countries) @ $10/month -- I am very tempted to switch to Ooma for calling India, especially since Ooma devices are now sold for about $150 or so (and includes free unlimited calls within the US).

EDIT #1: I signed up for the $10 India/international calling plan a few weeks ago -- like the voice-quality & the convenience of calling direct to India :-)

Medical insurance for those visiting the US

2010-08-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

There are very few good options of medical-insurance for those visiting the US. In the past, I have used plans from http://www.kvrao.org/ & http://www.visitorscoverage.com/ ; my general experience with filing claims has been somewhat mixed. Useful discussions around this topic are here and here. There are similar offered by companies in India that I haven't used.

Recently I came across other options for primary care in the Seattle area (I believe that there are companies offering similar programs across the US). Note that the these plans don't typically cover hospitalization & are best used as supplemental coverage with other insurance plans

Qliance seems like a very good option for those who require frequent doctor visits. Their plans range from at $44-$129 per month, and includes unlimited doctor visits.
CarenaMD offers mobile-primary care (doctor visits the patients home) & is very convenient for those patients who aren't very mobile, or prefer care at home. They charge about $2000/year & cover a 12 visits (I think their charges can be prorated, if one needs to cancel before the end of 12 months). I have used their service & really liked it -- the convenience of the doctor visiting home at a short notice & spending 30-60 mins is very helpful. I wish they offered a monthly plan also.

None of these companies offer dental or vision care. I'd love to hear from you if you know of a company that offers dental/vision options for visitors.

Results-Direct.com, local pharmacies (Walgreens or Bartell Drugs) offer reasonably priced immunizations & lab-tests.

Daily Deals in the Seattle & Boston areas

2010-08-13T01:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.dailyd.com/more-deals/seattle
http://www.socialbuy.com/seattle/
http://livingsocial.com/
http://www.groupon.com/seattle
http://www.adilitydeal.com/seattle
https://www.freshguide.com/seattle

http://www.dailyd.com/more-deals/boston
http://www.socialbuy.com/boston
http://www.groupon.com/boston
http://www.adilitydeal.com/boston
https://www.freshguide.com/boston

Review: WatchIndia.tv set top box

2010-08-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

Options to watch Indian TV channels used to be somewhat limited in the US (especially for regional-language channels). Sometime ago I came across http://www.watchindia.tv/ , but never had a chance to try it out. Finally, I decided to give it a try & ordered their set-top box (I got the newer version with HDMI output & WiFi support). My experience so far has been pretty good...

The device is slightly larger than the size of a wireless-router
Setup of the device was pretty easy. It came pre-configured to log-in with my watchIndia account
Video/audio quality is reasonably good (I use a wired ethernet connection). The video quality reminds me of an average quality SD channel (or a video-cassette). The picture does have some pixelation, but I found it to be tolerable. Check out the pictures below.
The overall UI has some constraints, but it is not horrible (the UI does have some latency, but it's not too bad)
The remote is OK; most of the buttons don't seem to be functional/used. I ended up using an universal remote.
The device lacks support for 2-3 very useful features

Channel-guide on the TV. AFAIK, the channel guide is only available on the WatchIndia website. I wish they at least had a mobile-phone app for viewing the channel-guide :)
DVR-functionality (they do have a "video-on-demand" feature by which some shows are recorded & stored on their servers, but it doesn't include all the shows/channels).
Support for controlling the TV's power & volume.

There seem to be a couple other companies that offer a similar service -- YuppTV, ChannelLive , DishNetwork IPTV . YuppTV looks especially interesting since they support a wide variety of devices (iPhone, XBOX260, Roku, etc, etc).

Would love to hear your comments if you have used any of these services

EDIT #1: I called WatchIndia to downgrade my subscription (to fewer channels). It's hard to reach their customer-service on the phone -- i ended up being on hold of 60-90 mins sometimes. Even after calling 3-4 times, they haven't yet made this change. It is somewhat frustrating to deal with their customer service

EDIT #2: I was able to configure the Logitech universal remote to control the WatchIndia device. Since WatchIndia device is still not in the Logitech database -- I had to "manually" program the buttons :-(

EDIT #3: None of the iPhone browsers (Safari, Opera, AtomicLite, etc) support scrolling down the watchIndia channel guide -- making the guide pretty useless. The only usable solution for viewing the channel-guide on the iPhone is using this link . This is not pretty, but provides you the info. I hope that WatchIndia.tv will offer a better solution soon. If you know of a better solution, do let me know.

EDIT #4: It's been more than a couple of weeks since i got the device; the quality is still pretty reasonable (even on a big-screen TV). Here are few pictures of my TV playing from the WatchIndia set top box.

"Main lobby"

"Main Menu"

"Channel listing"

"Video on demand (by channel)"

Playing the"NDTV Profit" channel (the slight blur at the bottom is due to my camera shaking).

Good Indian Restaurants in/around Vancouver, BC

2010-08-11T21:50:00.000-07:00

We have visited Vancouver, BC numerous times over the past 10+ years. Among other things, we like the Vancouver area for its good Indian restaurants. Here are a few of our favorites

Conference calling across India & the US

2010-02-26T11:21:00.000-08:00

Sabse Bolo seems to offers free conference calling service in India (they provide Indian access numbers only)
Reliance seems to offer a conference calling services across India & the US (i.e, you have callers from both India & the US calling-in via local access numbers). They currently charge 10 cents per caller per minute
There are quite a few services that offer free conference calling services within the US

Check out a related discussion on this topic

Searching for home-rentals in the Seattle area

2010-02-18T15:44:00.000-08:00

Travel Notes for the first-time traveler between India and USA

2010-02-14T22:22:00.000-08:00

This document has some useful notes for the first-time traveler between India and the US (specificailly from BLR to SEA on British Airways). Pls note that this doc was last updated in May/2007.

I wrote this document originally 10+ years ago, and have updated it over the past few years.

Event Space in the Seattle area

2010-01-29T00:52:00.001-08:00

http://www.yelp.com/topic/seattle-need-large-event-space-in-seattle

Guide to Birthday parties in the Seattle area

2010-01-19T17:16:00.001-08:00

Here's a good resource for planning a kid's birthday party -- http://www.rubyslipperguide.com/home/SpecialtyGuides/BirthdayGuide/tabid/138/Default.aspx

Applying for the OCI at the SFO consulate

2009-12-28T17:26:00.001-08:00

Instructions for the OCI application process is somewhat confusing. I didn't find all the relavant in one place on any website. So, I thought that I will post the information that I have gathered. Hope it helps. Would love to hear your comments.

Documents to mail in the OCI application packet:

Two copies of Part A and Part B of the application form
a. All documents should be submitted in two individual sets for all the applicants. Each set should comprise of Part A, Part B and supporting documents.
b. Signature- The signature of the applicant should be WITHIN AND IN THE CENTER of the Signature box of Part A of the OCI Application form. For children who cannot sign or write their name, left hand THUMB IMPRESSION must be put within the signature box. Make sure it is a DARK PRINT. Parents should not sign for children in the signature box.
Two - (2" X 2") - size photographs
Current US/ foreign Passport in original
a. In order to save dispatch time of US/foreign passport and OCI card, the applicants are requested to mail their passports in original along with OCI application. However, if the applicant is traveling or has any plan to travel while OCI application is in process, i.e. within 30 business days, kindly do not send US/foreign passport in original. Mail your US passport once the file number appears on http://www.cgisf.org/oc/granted_oci.html
Two self-attested photocopies of the first (second?) and last pages of the current US/ foreign passport for determining present citizenship of applicant (s).
a. * Self attestation means- signing the photocopy of the required documents stating as "true copy of the original". In case of minors, documents should be attested by either of the parent.
Two photocopies of the birth certificate of US/foreign born children. This should be attested by either of the parent.
Last Indian Passport held in original (this needs to be sent with the application forms).
Two self-attested photocopies of the first two and last two pages of the Indian passport.
PIO card in Original and self- attested copy of PIO card, if applicable.
a. The original PIO card be sent later, if needed.
A Self Addressed Stamped USPS Express Mail Envelop for Returning Documents.
a. Please record with you the USPS tracking number for tracking documents when mailed by the Consulate.
Postal money order of $ 275 (two hundred and seventy five only) per applicant
a. It should be payable to “Consulate General of India, San Francisco”
b. One Postal money order for entire amount is sufficient
c. Cash, Personal Cheques, credit cards or any other form of banking instruments are not accepted.
d. A PIO card holder applying for OCI status will pay a fee of US$ 145/- by postal money order.

Mail the above documents to…· OCI Cell, Consulate General of India, 540 Arguello Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94118

Organizing the application packet:

Always remember, 2 sets of application forms, signed/thumbprinted in original – for each applicant. And 2 sets of supporting documents - one for each application form.
For the documents to enclose, treat as if every family member was applying separately. This suggestion is for enclosures only, the application forms still remain only 2 sets for each applicant.
Since each family member gets their own registration number when you register online, verification of documents in Delhi for each family member could potentially be done by different people.
Therefore separate out the docs into separate sets, one "COMPLETE SET of enclosures" for each family member. e.g., for your kids, put another photocopy of your foreign and Indian passport in his/her set of enclosures also, since their requirements need proof of parents being eligible for OCI.
Use a lot of paper clips

Tracking progress of your application

Track progress of you application at http://ociindia.nic.in/ociindia/OnlineOCIenquiry.jsp
Note that it take about 6-8 days for the consulate to acknowledge the application (after it's delivered)

Useful links for preparing the OCI application· http://www.cgisf.org/oc/oci_process.html#reservations
· http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?t=227390
· http://www.immihelp.com/nri/overseascitizenshipindia/oci-documents.html

Service specials at Seattle area Honda dealerships

2009-11-02T23:51:00.000-08:00

Service specials at Seattle area Honda dealerships
http://www.bellevuehonda.com/MiscPage_14
http://www.lynnwoodhonda.com/coupons.aspx?template=default&category=service
http://www.kleinhonda.com/site/service/service_specials
http://images.motorwebs.com/webs/WestHillsHonda_V2/pdfs/PDF1.pdf

http://www.hondaofseattle.com/coupons.aspx?template=default&category=service&s=service
http://www.burienhonda.com/coupons.aspx?template=default&category=service
http://www.hinshawshonda.com/coupons.aspx?template=imageOnly&category=serviceImage
http://www.hondaoffife.com/ServiceSpecials.asp
http://www.southtacomahonda.com/en_us/ads.asp?cType=Service&storeid=1

Links related to the Naturalization process/interview

2009-10-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

Comprehensive list of documents necessary for the Naturalization process -- http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?t=288288
Check out the postings on http://forums.immigration.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18 for any question related to the N-400 process.
Watch this quick intro video if you are applying in the Seattle area -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lX-cI055zk
Prepare for the interview at http://www.passcitizenshipexam.com/
Good thread about the interview process in Seattle -- http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?t=304701
More Seattle related postings -- http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?t=303551&highlight=seattle

Links related to REOs

2009-09-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

Tips on making offers on REOs -- http://homebuying.about.com/od/foreclosures/qt/051308_REOTIPS.htm

Discussion on buying a bank-owned home -- http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Buying_a_bank_owned_home_before_it_s_listed_-165001

Applying for the PIO card at the SFO consulate

2009-07-07T23:56:00.000-07:00

The SFO consulate's website doesn't make it very easy to figure out the list of docs that need to be included with the PIO application. After some reading, I came up with this list of docs (assumes that the PIO applicant is a baby with US-Citizenship, and both parents have a green card).

1. Cover Letter
2. PIO application form with left/right thumb impression & notarization of the parents’ signature (fill able application is at http://www.immihelp.com/nri/piocard/application-form.html )
3. 2 photographs (35mm x 35mm)
4. Cashier's check for $185 (payable to "Consulate General of India, San Francisco")
5. USPS Express mail return envelope
6. Original passport of the baby
7. Original birth certificate of the baby
8. Color photocopy of the baby's passport (pages with particulars only)
9. Color photocopy of baby’s birth certificate
10. Notarized color photocopy of the first 3 and last 3 pages of mother's & father's passport
11. Notarized color photocopy of mother’s & father’s driver's license
12. Notarized color photocopy of mother’s & father’s green card

Searching for rentals in the Seattle area

2009-05-31T02:41:00.000-07:00

Check out http://seattlebubble.com/blog/2008/10/08/where-to-search-for-rentals-in-seattle/ for links/tips related to searching for rentals in the Seattle area. Be sure to check out the links in the comments also.

Cord blood banking with CBR

2009-03-07T07:33:00.001-08:00

We decided to bank the cord blood with CBR, and ended up saving $650 using the discount code MANGO (more details are here)

To do before/during/after pregnancy/child-birth

2008-12-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

Before/During pregnancy

Take good care of the mom's health and emotional/nutritional needs
Sign-up with a good OBGYN (ideally, this needs to be done even before pregnancy)
Get familiarized on all the tests that need to be done during the pregnancy (your OBGYN is the best source of this info)
Sign-up with a good hospital (many times, the choice of OBGYN dictates the hospital). Pre-register at the hospital
Sign-up for child-birth related classes (at the hospital)
Start cleaning the home to make space for the baby's arrival
Shop for baby related items. Must have essentials follow.

Travel System/Stroller/Car Seat
New born clothes
Bassinet/Crib
Diapers
Baby wash
Anything else?

Parents/in-laws: Not sure about the benefits of calling them over for first baby. But, just as an fyi, say worst case, they don't get a visa or can't travel, it is totally doable without parents. Nurses and doctors are really great. You can get food from some Indian catering service if such exist in your city.
Finalize visa/travel plans for parents or parents-in-laws
Help out with the planning of the baby shower
Narrow down on the name for the baby
Select a pediatrician
Create a birth plan (check our www.babycenter.com/birthplan )
Set up a baby registry
Consider getting life insurance and creating a will
Understand the maternity/paternity leave options
Consider buying a camera/camcorder; be familiar with all its features/options
Arrange a demo/inspection/installation of the car seat (your local police/fire department can do this)
Update your e-mail/address/phone number list to send out the birth announcements
Pack for the hospital; give a set of home-keys to a friend; keep gas tank filled up (towards the end of the pregnancy)
Long-term disability benefits (LTD): Remember to sign-up for LTD (before/during pregnancy) if this option is available.
Sign up for tour of hospital early. They suggest coming in the 8th or 9th month, but sometimes the tours fill up fast.
Hospital parking: They cover this briefly during the hospital tour, but it is worth it to once walk around yourself, and get to know where to park during the day. Where you have to park in the night, and what time the underground parking garage (if any) opens and closes.
Be sure to know which hospital entrance and elevators to use during night. not all entrances are open.
Food: hospital food is healthy but unappealing. have friends bring simple light food if possible, after delivery.
Nurses: The nurses are amazing. You will be so thankful to them you'll want to get them a small gift or something. Plan ahead. The shop in the hospital is a rip-off
Doula – check out the various options & make a decision
Baby shower - plan for some good games/activities; it is hard to get people to sportingly participate in games.
C-section : read up on this without telling your wife. If, worst case, it comes to a point where doctor says have to go for that, then do not panic. Your wife might already have been in labor for 12-14 hours, and will look to you for cues and support. Be calm, and do not pester doctor asking if there is any way to avoid c-section. They will not suggest it unless it is needed.
More about C section. Do your reading and research. Be familiar with medical reasons and terms. If possible take child birth class. It helped me a lot. My wife was in labor for 20 hrs and doctor recommended C section. Me and my wife wanted to try natural birth. We asked the doctor (not our OB/GYN but doctor in charge of labor room in the hospital) to wait few more hours. I called OB/GYN at 2.30 AM and discussed it personally. Our OB/GYN felt there is no harm waiting another few hours (BTW discuss your preference with your OB/GYN before labor, that way she/he knows what you guys prefer). within 30 mins labor started progressing again and within 2 hrs I had my boy. So don't always go with C section at first mention of it (unless you and your wife want it). Bottom line is do your research and studies and be prepare to take decisions in split of second. Your OB/GYN is your friend and advisor, keep her or him in very close loop.
A good weekly planner is at http://assets.babycenter.com/ims/Marketing/weeklyplanner.pdf
Umbilical cord blood collection - decide to go for it or not. We went with CBR (check out this link for a great discount)
Babycenter.com: you'll get more info that you want there to all questions you have asked here! join the discussion group for your wife's due date month...
Restaurants - store phone numbers of restaurants near the hospital in your cell phone.
Alternate route to hospital : good to know ahead of time in case of traffic jams etc.
Visit the medicine aisle at your local drugstore before baby is born: The range of medicines, brands, kinds for infants is very confusing. Understand tylenol/motrin/advil, suspension liquid, fever reliever, pain reliever, decongestant. Knowing a bit about these before you visit the store for that medicine at 3 am in the night is priceless.
Take lot of pictures during the pregnancy

After the baby is born

Take care of the mom's & baby's health
Add baby to the medical/life Insurance Plans
Apply for baby's SSN
Get baby's birth certificate
Get baby's US Passport
Get PIO Card/Visa for India
Take good rest & keep a good sense of humor
Insurance: You have about 30 days after birth to add baby to your medical insurance.
HSA: think about maxing out your HSA contribution (great tax saving) for your deductible. Usually you have one month after the birth to change your insurance plan and HSA contribution. By end of the month you will have fair idea how much you will be paying out of your pocket. Make sure you increase your contribution to HSA to cover that. It saved me good amount of tax.
SSN: hospital gives you some forms to fill up, and they send that themselves to SSN office, registrar of births.
In the paperwork hospital gives you, request for 2 or more birth certificates. Getting extra original birth certificates later is a hassle.
Baby's nutrition/feeding - hospital has very helpful support for this. They(lactation consultants) also come home if needed. how to take care of baby - you and your wife will be pros in 2-3 weeks, till then, a close friend or two can show you how to handle the baby. Or when you take baby to pediatrician for 1 week, 2 week, 4 week, checkups, they'll show you how to massage etc.
Just after delivery: Mom gets to hold and see baby for a few minutes, then they take the baby away to nursery for cleaning and apgar tests etc. Mom gets wheeled to recovery room. At this point, you'll have to choose which one to go with .
Visitors after baby comes home : be very frank with visitors and don't allow young kids near the baby. Especially, if the baby is born during or just after the flu season.
Take lot of pictures/videos during the pregnancy, in the hospital, after birth, and also at home. Pictures of all 3 of you will be rare. Have each guest to your home click some of the 3 of you(mom, dad and baby).

Also, check out a related discussion at http://www.r2iclubforums.com/forums/f53/things-do-during-pregnancy-after-baby-born-9265/

My ThumbTrack collections

2008-12-19T10:37:00.001-08:00

http://thumbtack.livelabs.com/smariner

Baby names

2008-11-22T21:47:00.001-08:00

http://www.babyhold.com/list/Indian_Baby_Names/page1/

Article on handling the "winter Itch"

2008-11-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

Here's a good article on handling dry skin during the winter -- http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/skinhealth/winterskin.html

Opening a SBI account from the US

2008-10-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

If you are looking at opening an account with the State Bank of India (SBI) -- check out a good discussion here

Current FD rates (in Indian currency) are listed http://www.ratekhoj.com/

R2I with one spouse as USC and other GC (OR both as USC)?

2008-10-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

Good discussion on whether a family returning to India should do so with one spouse on a US-Citizenship and other on a US-GreenCard OR everyone as a US-Citizen.

Pregnancy & baby related links

2008-10-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.babycenter.com/ -- Information seems a bit short and one sided. The information is usually geared towards “regular” pregnancy and parenting and they seem to focus on a lot more negative aspects unnecessarily.
Mothering magazine has a very useful discussion board for parents, http://www.mothering.com/. This magazine is geared towards natural approaches to parenting and contains a lot of useful information that sometimes goes against mainstream.
Another great resource is http://www.diaperswappers.com/. This is mainly used to trade, sell, and buy cloth diapers and accessories, but it also contains a lot of forums of different topics. I especially like craft chat and thrifty family forum. There are a lot of good discussions on pregnancy, new parents, and other useful topics. This is a high traffic board so expect great tons of information and a lot of comments and suggestions if you post something.
Oh if you’re planning on breastfeeding http://www.kellymom.com/ is the place to go. There’s great information about baby and children nutrient needs and other great information.
One other place is http://diaperpin.com/home.asp. If you’re considering using cloth diapers and covers this is a great place to start. They have reviews of all the different brands and types, which will help you not as overwhelmed with the process. There’s a lot of great option out there now, which are just as easy as disposable, but offer no harmful effects to the environment or baby.
I like Babycenter for looking up information, but for message boards, I prefer The Bump (http://www.thebump.com/) and Mom’s Corner ( http://momscorner.activeboard.com/ ). A little intimidating for newbies, but great sources of information once you get used to them.
http://www.whattoexpect.com/
http://www.baby.com/
http://www.ivillage.com/
http://www.webmd.com/
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/

Foreclsoures related resources in the Seattle area & beyond

2008-10-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

Check out a very useful discussion on "foreclosure auctions" at http://seattlebubble.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1350

Websites offering Foreclosure listings
http://www.usa-foreclosure.com/ (FREE)
http://www.realtytrac.com/
http://www.foreclosurepoint.com/

Classes on home-buying, RE investing and foreclosures are listed at http://www.press-on.com/ourclasses.htm

Redmond based firm that helps with buying foreclosures/short-sales/etc is at http://www.realestateinvestmentfirm.com/ (I haven't used them & cannot vouch for their services)

There are only really two big firms that handle just about all the foreclosures in town. Regional Trustee Services and Northwest Trustee Services

Check out NTS records in King county using the following steps...
Click on http://www.metrokc.gov/recelec/records/
Click "Records Search"
Accept the legal notice
Click "Search" next to "Official Records Search"
Under Document Type select "Notice of Trustee Sale"
Enter some recent dates.
Press Search.
Click on a NTS document and see the address how much the person owes.
Use the address to research the property on redfin.
Find a property you like then go to the address, knock on the door and make the person an offer.

How to get a good deal on a new vehicle?

2008-10-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

Read a good post on buying a new vehicle at http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?14@@.ee93eaa/20658#20658

2008-08-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

I ended up getting the Amazon Kindle

Which eBook reader to buy? Is kindle my only choice?

2008-08-13T07:41:00.000-07:00

I have used the Amazon Kindle for a few days. Now, I'm in the process of selecting a eBook reader for myself. Any thoughts on which device would meet my requirements?

Budget is not a constraint, though I'd prefer to spend less than $500
My library offers DRMed OverDrive eBooks in the mobipocket & Adobe PDF eBook formats -- would prefer a device that supports these formats.
Access to lots of eBooks
I use Amazon to read reviews of books & get Amazon gift certificates often - -so, wouldn't mind buying eBooks from Amazon, but they seem to offers books only in the Kindle format?
Would prefer to buy a device that doesn't need to be replaced (due to format/hardware issues) for at least 2 years
I have used the Kindle for a few days; though it's usability is not perfect, I'm fine with it

If the Kindle could read OverDrive's mobipocket and/or Adobe PDF eBook formats, I'd just stick with the Kindle. I also worry if I'd be buying the Kindle just before v2 comes out (there's already a rumor out there).
Given these requirements -- do I have a choice other than the Kindle? Cehck out a comparision of all the eBook readers at http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix

"Flops" on Seattle's Eastside

2008-07-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Member of the forums on SeattleBubble are tracking some of the "home-purchase flops" (i.e. "homes being sold for a loss") on Seattle's eastside RE market. Check out "Eastside Flops". Seems like the "strong" RE market in Seattle has started to crumble.

Practical Advice to Limit Exposure to Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted from Cell Phones

2008-07-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

....from http://www.upci.upmc.edu/news/upci_news/2008/072308_celladvisory.html
1. Do not allow children to use a cell phone, except for emergencies. The developing organs of a fetus or child are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.
2. While communicating using your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone away from the body as much as possible. The amplitude of the electromagnetic field is one fourth the strength at a distance of two inches and fifty times lower at three feet. Whenever possible, use the speaker-phone mode or a wireless Bluetooth headset, which has less than 1/100th of the electromagnetic emission of a normal cell phone. Use of a hands-free ear piece attachment may also reduce exposures.
3. Avoid using your cell phone in places, like a bus, where you can passively expose others to your phone's electromagnetic fields.
4. Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times. Do not keep it near your body at night such as under the pillow or on a bedside table, particularly if pregnant. You can also put it on “flight” or “off-line” mode, which stops electromagnetic emissions.
5. If you must carry your cell phone on you, make sure that the keypad is positioned toward your body and the back is positioned toward the outside so that the transmitted electromagnetic fields move away from your rather than through you.
6. Only use your cell phone to establish contact or for conversations lasting a few minutes, as the biological effects are directly related to the duration of exposure. For longer conversations, use a land line with a corded phone, not a cordless phone, which uses electromagnetic emitting technology similar to that of cell phones.
7. Switch sides regularly while communicating on your cell phone to spread out your exposure. Before putting your cell phone to the ear, wait until your correspondent has picked up. This limits the power of the electromagnetic field emitted near your ear and the duration of your exposure.
8. Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train, as this automatically increases power to a maximum as the phone repeatedly attempts to connect to a new relay antenna.
9. When possible, communicate via text messaging rather than making a call, limiting the duration of exposure and the proximity to the body.
10. Choose a device with the lowest SAR possible (SAR = Specific Absorption Rate, which is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field absorbed by the body). SAR ratings of contemporary phones by different manufacturers are available by searching for “sar ratings cell phones” on the internet.
Related article at http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9999188-1.html?tag=nefd.top

Recommendation for a drawing/painting class in Bangalore

2008-06-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of our friends highly recommended "Classical School of Arts" (near Dayanand Sagar College, in Kumaraswamy Layout) -- they offer drawing/painting classes for kids & women.

I believe that the instructor/artist has been conducting classes for over 25 years. A few of my friends (originally from Bangalore), grew up taking classes from this artist.
Also, the artist takes custom orders for artwork/paintings. Another friend has a collection of numerous paintings from this artist.

Cost of owning a home

2008-05-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

Most people think renting is like "throwing money in the toilet". When you buy a home, money gets "thrown away into the toilet also", but the hope is that the home-appreciates & it compensates for the "lost" money. If the home does not appreciate at least 4% each year, you are better off renting in most cases.

Cost of owning a home = [Cost of the house] + [Closing cost while buying the house] + [interest paid] + [taxes on the home] + [home improvements] + [Home owner dues] + [Maintenance] + [additional expenses towards utilities and/or extra commute] + [possible gains from the down payment, if this amount was invested elsewhere] - [The rent you would have paid if you did not own a home] – [income taxes saved after factoring for standard deduction]

Profit/Loss after selling the home = [Sale price] – [Cost of owning] – [Realtor commission] – [sales/excise tax]

More thoughts on buying a home now (esp in the Seattle area)

2008-05-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

A lot of us look at a home as a place to live and as an investment.

From the investment perspective, it's not the best time to buy a home. If the home does not appreciate at least 4% each year, you are better off renting in most cases. Additionally, you have to be sure that you will live in that home for at least 5 years to make monetary sense. Use a good rent vs. buy calculator to guesstimate which is better for your circumstances. One piece of advice that a real-estate professional gave me is to avoid homes that were built during the "housing-boom times" (esp betweeen 2002 & 2006) -- since builders were optimizing on quantity of homes rather than quality, during this time period.

For those who really want to live in a home, consider renting a home for a year or two (you can get some reasonably good deals on rentals, since homes are not selling). In the Seattle area, rents of high-end apartments & that of good homes are more or less the same (currently). Renting a home from a private owner (as opposed to a company that manages an apartment community) is not all that hard, though you have to watch out for a few gotchas.

Is it a good time to buy a home in the Seattle area now?

2008-05-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

Now that the "bullet-proof" Seattle housing market has started to loose steam, a lot of people have asked me if it's a good time to buy a home. Here are my 2 cents about this topic – pls take it for what it’s worth.

IMHO the Seattle area's home prices started going down only a few months ago, and it has a few more months to shed prices (some say it has up to 15 more months of decreasing prices, based on trends in other cities). From an investment perspective -- I’d wait till the end of the next summer to see how things turn out (unless the prices show signs of a increase). At the very least, I’d at least wait till the end of this summer & then make a decision – since, seasonally late-Aug/September has the highest inventory.

Housing prices don’t swing as quickly as the stock markets – so, I think there will be some clear signs of a broad price increase before the market turns around.

When the price of a home is going down – the money lost on interest+maintainence+loss-of-value is much higher than the money lost on the rent. Check out the rent vs buy calculator to see if buying makes sense for you.

And, of course, check out http://www.seattlebubble.com/ and for another perspective on this topic.

Installing Microsoft Office document image writer

2008-05-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

Instructions to install Microsoft Office Document Image Writer are at
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11184-0.html?forumID=47&threadID=196116&messageID=2035519
Not sure why it doesn't get installed by default:(

Unlimited calls to US/Canada from any country

2008-04-21T11:47:00.001-07:00

Skype announced changes to their calling plans. Now, anyone in the world can make unlimited calls to US/Canada phone numbers for only 1.95 euros/month. More info about the Skype calling plan is at http://www.skype.com/intl/en/allfeatures/subscriptions/uscanada/
Check out a related discussion at http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=122271

Skype vs GizmoProject

2008-04-18T23:45:00.000-07:00

IMO, there are only two (non-PC) VOIP choices that provide the best value when it comes to calling India. Based on my experience, here’s how these two choices compare. Of course, there are also VOIP companies like Vonage/ Net2Phone/BroadVoice that provide calling to any US/Canada phone number, and require a recurring monthly fee.
I’ve setup up a Philips/Skype Cordless phone for my folks in India. We’ve been using it for the past few months & we are very happy with the voice quality (requires no PC & no monthly fees).
<><><><>

<><><><>


.		Philips/Skype Phone (or a similar device)	GrandStream 496 ATA with GizmoProject/GrandCentral (or a similar SIP device)
.	Initial Cost	Upfront cost of approximately $99/per device	Upfront cost of approximately $40 for the device + additional cost for a phone that needs to be connected to it. Other SIP devices are available, starting at about $25
.	Ease of Setup	Extremely easy to configure & Setup (my non-techie mom-in-law was able to configure/setup this phone with limited instructions from my side)	Configuration of the device for the very first-time was hard, even for me -- mostly because I could not find much instructions on the internet. Even after the initial setup, I had many problems (I could hear the other side, but they couldn't hear me, etc). I had to find someone who had done it before to get it to work. But, once you know the instructions to setup, it's a ereasonably asy process for a techie person. Would not recommend a non-techie person to configure/setup the device.
.	PC required?	No	No
.	Voice Quality	Excellent; as good as Reliance	Not bad at all -- sounds like an OK cell-phone call
.	Calling users with a similar device/software	Free calls to any Skype user (either on the SkypePhone, PC or a Windows Mobile phone)	Free calls to any user of a SIP client (eg: GizmoProject)
.	Cost of calling a US phone number	approx 2 cents/minute + a conection fee of 3 cents for each call	approx 2 cents/minute (no connection fee)
.	Cost of receiving calls from any US phone number	approximately $3/month (you can also get non-US phone numbers)	Free (with a GrandCentral account). You can't get non-US phone numbers
.	Input Voltage	110v	110v/220v
.	Ease of use	Very simple to use (if someone can use a simple cell phone, they can use this device)	As easy as the phone that you connect to it
.	Ubiquity of the software	Most of my friends/family members are already on Skype	Gizmo what Project?
.	Visibility of "Online Status"	Online status of other Skype users can be viewed on the LCD screen (very similar to the Skype buddy list)	No online status is provided
.	Long term viability	If Skype goes out of business, this phone can only be used as a regular cordless phone	If one of the SIP providers (Eg: Gizmo Project) shus down, you can configure the device to work with another SIP provider
.	Experience for my folks in India	Working fine even after many months of usage	The configured device that I sent to India did not work when they set it up. Since I didn't have a techie person to debug the issue, I gave up. I know a couple other people who haven't run into this issue.
.	Support for open protocols	Skype uses a propeitary protocol	SIP devices use the open SIP protocol
.	Other comments	This phone seems ready for use by a general consumer; the phone looks/feels good	Questionable based on my experience (but I assume that it's mostly my experience). Initial configuration requires a techie
.
.	Links for more info	http://www.amazon.com/Philips-VOIP841-PC-Free-Wireless-Phone/dp/B000ND75FW	http://www.grandstream.com/ht496.html
.		http://www.skype.com/	http://gizmo5.com/pc/

Samsung Ace versus Moto Q9c -- which is better?

2008-02-29T23:27:00.000-08:00

I've been debating between a Samsung Ace and a Moto Q9c. Got any thoughts to share? check out http://www.sprintusers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=157200

Getting GrandCentral to work with Gizmo-on-ATA

2008-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

When I configure GrandCentral to forward calls to my Gizmo-on-ATA, I get an announcment asking to press "1" to accept the call........; but when I press 1 on my phone nothing happens. After some research, I found the following posting that fixed the problem.

Configure the GrandStream HandyTone 488 for use with GizmoProject

2008-02-08T23:13:00.000-08:00

I got my GrandStream HandyTone 488 ATA a few days ago, and spent a few hours trying to set it up without much luck. Finally, with the help of a friend, I was able to get it to work using the following steps.

- Connect the device to a router and a phone (follow instructions at http://www.grandstream.com/user_manuals/HandyToneQuickInstallGuide.pdf)
- Open an internet browser and connect to the ATA at http://192.168.2.1/
- Logon to the device config page with "admin" as the password
- Enter the following settings in the "FXS Port" page.

SIP Server: proxy01.sipphone.com
SIP User ID: 1747xxxxxxx
Authenticate ID: 1747xxxxxxx
Authentication Password: myPassword

- Just go with the default values for all other fields
- Click the "Update" button and reboot the device

-----------------------------------------------
I could get the ATA to work without the following changes to the router settings.

In the router setting page, port-forward the following ports to the IP address of the HT-488 device (default value is 192.168.2.1).

Port Range: 5060-5062 for SIP
Port Range: 5004-5009 for RTP

My steps to set up port forwarding was similar to the ones listed on http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Netgear/MR814/Gizmo_Project.htm (except that Port Range: 5060-5062 was forwarded to 192.168.2.1 and port Range: 5004-5009 forwarded to 192.168.2.1)

Some web postings (including the forum on GizmoProject.com) recommend that the "STUN server" field be specified, but I could not get the device to work if I set this value. Leaving it blank made it work (with the above settings).
------------------------------

Note that I have configure the ATA only for Gizmo to Gizmo .
Gizmo/ATA vs Skype: So far, the Gizmo's voice quality has been good with the ATA (much better than the quality with the softphone), but has a little background noise. I have to say that Skype's quality (uisng either the softPhone or the Philips VOIP841) is a little more clearer, but the difference is not significant for everyday conversations. GrandStream ATA+GizmoProject seems promising & I plan to try it for a few more days.

Skype vs GizmoProject (continued....)

2008-02-05T22:49:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine pointed out that a couple of Gizmo users disagreed with my assessment of Gizmo's voice quality -- check out http://forum.gizmoproject.com/viewtopic.php?t=8310 . Two questions were raised about my process of assessment...

Was Skype running when I tried the Gizmo?: Yes, Skype was running when I initially tried the Gizmo. After reading the comments on the forum, I have tested the Gizmo without Skype running. Even without Skype running on my PC, Gizmo's voice quality tunred out to be inferior than Skype.
Length of my testing: I have to admit that I've probably recieved less than 10 calls so far on the Gizmo; all my calls were forwarded by GrandCentral (not sure if that makes difference in the quality).

After reading through some of the posts on the Gizmo forum -- I've decided to not give up on the Gizmo. In fact, just ordered a couple of GrandStream ATAs so that I experience the voice-quality with Gizmo on . I already have the Philips cordless Skype phone and will post a comparison in a couple of days.

Skype vs. GizmoProject

2008-02-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've been using Skype for quite some time -- I have used Skype on a low bandwidth connection (128kbps) and a high band-width connection (6mbps), have had conference calls with multiple skype users, have had numerous video calls. And, so far I've been a fan on Skype's voice quality/clarity.

A couple of my friends have been using GizmoPrject for a while. So, I decided to compare/contrast these two services. Here are my initial thoughts...

Openness: GizmoProject runs on an open standard/protocol. So, this service is interoperable with other SIP phone services. Hardware that you may purchase for use with GizmoProject could be used with other SIP services (if needed). Skype is based on a clsoed/propietary protocol
Voice Quality: GizmoProject's voice-quality is acceptable, but not great. There are (minor) delays, echoes, and the voice is sometimes broken. Skype's quality is way better. This was true even when I compared GizmoProject on the PC with Skype on the hardware-phone (either NetGear or Philips). Skype sounds better even on a 128kbps connection, compared to GizmoProject running on a 6mbps broadband connection.
Cost/calling plans: "Basic" calling is free with both of them. Premium calling-plans & prices with GizmoProject seem to be cheaper than Skype. You can get free voicemail & incoming calls with GizmoProject; connection fees are almost nil; Skype's calling plans are dependent on the the caller's location & is somewhat confusing.
Hardware devices: With GizmoProject, you have a vriety of hardware devices/adapters to choose from, and they are cheaper as well. With Skype, the choice of hardware devices is fewer (and more expensive).
The name Skype sounds so much cooler than GizmoProject :-)

Fnow, I'm going to stick with Skype.

NetGear (model SPH200D) vs. Philips (model VOIP841) Cordless Skype phones

2008-02-05T07:50:00.000-08:00

I've been using Skype regularly for the past 3+ years, and have liked the clarity/quality of the voice conversations. So, I decided to try the hardware-based Skype phones.

I recently purchased the NetGear Cordless Skype phone (SPH200D) and here's my experience with it.The initial setup of SPH200D was easy; voice quality is good even with on a 128kbps internet connection. But I ran into the following issues with this device...

The handset hangs each time there's a power outage (read a discussion about this issue at http://forum1.netgear.com/showthread.php?t=10453 for details on this issue). Since I plan to use this phone in a place that experiences frequent power outages, this bug is somewhat annoying. Plus, though, it's been a year since the release of the phone, this issue has not been fixed by the firmaware updates.
The handset feels like a cheap piece of hardware
Max Volume of the handset, even with the speakerphone turned ON is low
The text on the phone & the screen could have been larger, for easier reading by seniors (eg: my parents)

Due to these issues, I'm returned the NetGear SPH200D, and bought the Philips VOIP841 instead. It's been a couple of days since I installed the Philips phone & so far I like it a lot. The phone looks/feels a lot more nicer, and haven't run into the bug that the NetGear phone has (atleast so far). On the downside, the keys are not backlit (as in the NetGear Device) & the max. volume is about the same as in the NetGear device.

You can find a comparision of both these phones at http://www.laptopmag.com/Features/VoIP-Face-Off-Philips-VoIP8411B37-vs-Netgear-SPH200D.htm

So far, my vote is for the "Philips VOIP841 PC-Free DECT 6.0 Wireless IP Phone".

Cool Buy vs Rent calculator

2007-04-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

Compare the costs of buying or renting comparable homes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10/business/2007_BUYRENT_GRAPHIC.html?ex=1176955200&en=f19f23f7517d8826&ei=5070

Alaska Cruises

2007-04-10T23:06:00.000-07:00

Best Time to go: Best times are June through August; best deals are usually during May & September
Best Cruiseline: Depends. Princess has invested heavily in Alaska cruises & has good support for logistics at the ports. We went by Royal Caribbean to Alaska & it was good. Our parents were travelling with us -- so we had requested for Indian food for dinner every day & they accommodated this request. We have cruised on NCL in other places -- they have fewer rules & policies (e.g.: dinner time, where to get seated for dinner, choice of restaurants, etc). Not sure which cruise line is ideal for kids. Check out www.CruiseCritic.com for lots of reviews & info.
Best Deals: Monitor prices on www.VacationsToGo.com -- they specialize in last minute (90 days) deals. OR request quotes on www.CruiseCompete.com ; You can eventually buy through any online agency like Expedia or Orbitz. Once we bought through www.CruiseCompete.com & later through www.Travelocity.com
Best places to visit: Depends on what ports the ship takes you to. Again, www.CruiseCritic.com is loaded with info on the various ports-of-call. Consider getting a good guide book on cruising to Alaska.

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Other notes:

Consider an one-way cruise from/to Vancouver, BC. One way Alaska-cruises from Vancouver take you further into Alaska & offer better prices & choices of itineraries. That said, you can't beat the convenience of cruising directly from Seattle.
Get an itinerary that includes cruising around a Glacier.
Cruising is a nice experience --- plan on spending some time to enjoy the ship, food & the on-board activities.
IMHO, outside/ocean-view cabins are not worth the extra price. Either go for an inside or a balcony cabin.
Try to get a cabin mid-ship.

Link for Amazon gift certificates

2006-12-06T05:52:00.000-08:00

Amazon Gift Cards

Check out Tivo Series3

2006-12-06T05:03:00.000-08:00

Check out the new Tivo Series3 with support for HD Tivo HD

National Anthem of India

2006-01-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

See if you can identify the artists before the credits come up.

Welcome to the Tivo-lution

2005-09-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Most of you who know me know that I'm a huge fan of my Tivo. I've had it for over 5 years now & I might have talked to you about buying a Tivo more than once in those years :-)

If you're still debating on whether you get a Tivo or not, this is your chance -- CompUSA is selling a Tivo for FREE (after-rebates). Check out http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=313608&pfp=SEARCH ; I'm guessing that this will get sold out very soon.

Hurry, and welcome to the Tivo-lution!

HD based DVR for use in India

2005-06-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

What I want is Tivo-like functionality for my parents in India. But since such a service isn't available in India -- I'm looking for a DVD recorder (with a hard drive) that can record (PAL) Cable TV in India (BTW, I'm not even sure if the Cable tv signalis are differentiated as NTSC & PAL).

Today I went to Good Guys & bought the Pioneer DVR520-HS for ~$325. Seemed like a good price, but the salesperson didn't know if it could record cable tv in other countries. I looked through the owners manual -- couldn't find any info either.

Does anyone know if I can use this Pioneer DVD-Recorder for recording cable tv in other countries? I don't care so much about the DVD-Player or DVD-Recorder functionality.

Buying diamonds for the first time...

2005-06-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

Buying diamonds for the very first time is an interesting experience. Getting to know the various cuts, colors, clarity, etc is fun. Some of those cheapo diamond rings in your local Macys or JCPennys can be flawed. Don't forget to check out the diamond under a microscope before you buy it.

DVD-Recorders with a hard drive

2005-06-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for a DVD-Recorder with a built-in hard-drive that supports both NTSC & PAL signals (and one that does not need a Tivo like service). Pioneer DVR-520HS looks like a good one, but I'm getting conflicting information on whether it supports only NTSC or supports PAL also. Would love to hear from someone who has this unit.

Housing bubble & other economic cycles

2005-06-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Going through a huge economic cycle is interesting. Take for example, the current "housing bubble" -- almost everyone that I know seems to be thinking that the housing boom will exisit forever. Very few want to sell homes & almost everyone wants to buy a first or a second or a third home. Any home that comes on the market on the west coast seems to be getting multiple offers (many above the asking price). Credit is dirt cheap; buying a home in a city without seeing the property (& sometimes even without seeing the city) has become a common thing. "The housing market has never crashed; so, buying real estate is not risky" is a commonly heard statement.

People don't seem to remember the past bubbles. Earlier today, I read an article that claims that the number of people searching for a bubble on the web has increased. Some experts claim that the the housing market is 'more prone to bubbles than stocks'. Only time will tell if there's a housing bubble & what its impact is going to be.

BTW, http://thehousingbubble2.blogspot.com/ has a good compilation of recent articles related to the housing bubble.

BSNL launches affordable broadband in India

2005-01-15T10:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.bsnl.co.in/newsdetailed.php?news_id=188

Flying via Paris & airport transit visa

2005-01-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

Learnt today that Advanced Parole & I-551 stamps are not good enough for travelling thro' Paris as a transit passenger (regular US Visas are OK). More info is at http://www.consulfrance-chicago.org/french/english/visavta.htm

Check out a related discussion at http://groups.msn.com/R2IClub/liaissues.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=53564

Interesting articles on the global housing markets

2005-01-14T20:11:00.000-08:00

http://www.stern.nyu.edu/globalmacro/cur_policy/housing.html

One article especially worth reading is at http://economist.com/finance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3477796

Hello World!

2005-01-14T20:09:00.000-08:00

This is my first post!