Exploring Eco Park: A Wonderland in New Town, Kolkata

If you have dreamed of wandering through a magical garden filled with wonders from around the world, it can come true at Eco Park in New Town, Greater Kolkata. As I reminisce about my enchanting visit to this sprawling green urban park in December 2023, I am eager to share my experience with you.

Location and Accessibility

Nestled in the heart of New Town, Kolkata, Eco Park stands as a testament to the city's commitment to environmental conservation and recreation. Spread across a vast expanse of 480 acres, this urban oasis offers respite from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Getting to Eco Park is a breeze, thanks to its strategic location and excellent connectivity. Whether you're traveling by car, bus, or metro, reaching the park is convenient from various parts of Kolkata. For instance, if you're coming from the city center, you can hop on the metro and alight at the Eco Park station. Alternatively, buses ply regularly to and from different parts of Kolkata, making it accessible to all.

A Wonderland of Attractions

Upon entering Eco Park, I was greeted by a cornucopia of attractions that catered to every age and interest. From thrilling rides to serene gardens, the park had something for everyone. The Lake Front Promenade provides a picturesque walkway along the park's lake, offering panoramic views and opportunities for leisurely strolls. The park boasts an array of attractions that cater to people of all ages and interests.

1. One of the highlights of the park is the Adda Zone, which is a place for socializing and engaging in casual conversations, reminiscent of Kolkata's famous adda culture.
2. 
   The Artists' Cottage provides a glimpse into the local art scene, with talented artisans showcasing their creations.
3. The Bamboo Garden is a retreat adorned with bamboo groves, offering a serene ambiance for relaxation and meditation.
4. The Bengal Village provides a glimpse into the rural life of West Bengal, featuring traditional huts, cultural performances, and artisanal crafts.
5. The Biswa Bangla Haat offers a unique shopping experience, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of West Bengal through handicrafts, textiles, and culinary delights.
6. The Butterfly Garden is an enchanting habitat where visitors can observe various species of butterflies amidst colorful blooms.
7. The Eco Children’s Park is a playground paradise for kids, complete with slides, swings, and interactive installations promoting environmental awareness.
8. The Eco Island is an artificial island within the park's lake, offering scenic views and recreational activities such as boating.
9. The Formal Garden is a meticulously landscaped garden featuring manicured lawns, floral displays, and decorative fountains.
10. The Heliconia Garden is a botanical paradise showcasing the vibrant hues of heliconia flowers amidst lush greenery.
11. 
    The Herbal Garden is a treasure trove of medicinal plants and herbs, providing insights into traditional healing practices.
12. The Japanese Garden is a tranquil oasis inspired by Japanese aesthetics, featuring bonsai trees, Zen gardens, and koi ponds.
13. The Mask Garden is a unique garden adorned with colorful masks, showcasing the cultural diversity of India's tribal communities.
14. The Meadow Garden is an expanse of open grasslands where visitors can picnic, play outdoor games, or simply soak in the sun.
15. 
    The Musical Fountain is a mesmerizing spectacle of light and sound, where choreographed fountain displays captivate audiences. The amazing light and sound show with 30-meter-high water jets runs in the evening.
16. The Pakhi Bitan is a bird sanctuary within the park, providing a habitat for various avian species and birdwatching opportunities.
    
17. The Rabi Aranya is a showcase of agricultural practices and rural livelihoods, highlighting the importance of sustainable farming.
18. The Rose Garden is a fragrant paradise featuring a diverse collection of roses in different hues and varieties.
19. The Seven Wonders contains miniature replicas of iconic landmarks from around the world, allowing visitors to marvel at architectural marvels including the Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower.
20. The Sculpture Garden is an outdoor gallery showcasing sculptures crafted by local and international artists, adding artistic flair to the park.
21. The Tea Garden is a tranquil enclave where visitors can learn about the cultivation and processing of tea, with opportunities for tea tasting.
22. The Tropical Rain Forest is a biodiverse ecosystem teeming with lush vegetation, exotic flora, and indigenous wildlife.
23. The Fruits Garden is an orchard showcasing a variety of tropical fruits, allowing visitors to learn about fruit cultivation and harvesting.
24. Harinalaya is a deer park where visitors can observe these graceful creatures in their natural habitat.

Unforgettable Experiences

Eco Park is not just a place to sightsee; it's a haven for adventure seekers and food lovers alike. The park boasts a wide array of rides and attractions, including the thrilling Seven Wonders and Musical Fountain. Whether you're zipping down a waterslide or enjoying a leisurely boat ride on the lake, there's never a dull moment at Eco Park.

The Food Court has an eclectic mix of cuisines - from traditional Bengali delicacies to international favorites, the options are endless. You will savor every bite as you soak in the ambiance of the park.

Park Size and Area

Eco Park spans an impressive area of over 480 acres, making it one of the largest urban parks in India. Its vast expanse offers ample space for leisure activities, recreational pursuits, and nature appreciation.

Conclusion

Eco Park in New Town, Kolkata, is more than just a recreational space; it's a testament to the city's commitment to sustainability and conservation. With its diverse attractions and stunning natural beauty, the park offers a welcome escape from the rigors of urban life.

Whether you're seeking tranquility amidst nature, cultural immersion, or family fun, Eco Park promises an enriching experience that celebrates the beauty of Kolkata and its surroundings. So, the next time you find yourself in the City of Joy, be sure to carve out some time to explore Eco Park and discover the wonders that await within its verdant embrace.

 

Further Reading

1. "Eco Park Kolkata - Official Website", Eco Park New Town, https://www.ecoparknewtown.com/
2. "Eco Park Kolkata", Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco_Park,_Kolkata

The XHDATA D-328 Full Band AM/FM/SW MP3 Radio: Review

The XHDATA D-328 is a mini-sized AM/FM/SW radio which I happened to lay my hands on due to a craving for listening to some real broadcast radio at home. It comes in a portable 12.5 x 3.8 x 7.5 cm slim and ultralight (160 gm) plastic case and a foldable telescopic receiver aerial on the top. There is a slot for a microSD or TransFlash card to play MP3 files. The 3.5 mm headphone jack provides an option to redirect the audio output. The back of the device doesn't contain any label with the serial number or standards certifications though the country of origin is mentioned as China.

The XHDATA D-328 MP3 Radio

The one that I will review here was purchased in June 2020 when it was retailing in Amazon India for ₹1,626 before taxes and was selling at ₹1,919 after 18% GST. The delivery was fairly quick, and I had the device in my hands in two days. It comes in a hard cardboard box which includes the radio receiver, a generic BL-5C lithium-ion rechargeable battery, a mini-USB charging cable, a lanyard or hand strap, a user's manual and a contact card. This 2023 review is based on my experience in the last 3 years.

For those seeking a radio to reliably tune into local AM and FM stations while also playing MP3 files, the XHDATA D-328 performs commendably well. Despite its size, the audio quality is surprisingly good. Personally, I'm not a big fan of analog-style tuning DSP radios, as I find them less graceful when navigating between stations. However, for most users who simply tune in and listen, this radio is more than sufficient.

Setup

Setting up the device is simple. Insert the BL-5C battery into the slot on the back of the radio and just turn in on using the shuttle on top by selecting either the radio or MP3 mode. If the battery needs to be recharged, then plug in the provided USB charging cable with an appropriate power source.

Radio

The radio tuner supports the FM, AM and SW reception based on a DSP demodulation chip in a Silicon Laboratories Si4825A10 integrated circuit. An analog thumbwheel dial on the side of the unit helps tuning the radio to receive signals. The FM and SW are distributed into 2 and 9 bands respectively to make up for the small dial width and provide near-precise calibration. The supported frequency ranges are below:

• FM: 64~106 MHz
• AM: 520~1620 kHz
• SW: 4.75~22 MHz

Whether you're listening to your favorite morning talk show or catching up on the latest hits, this radio does a commendable job. My FM listening experience has been satisfactory, particularly when using headphones.

Radio Reception

The XHDATA D-328 fared well in processing FM signals in Pune, a city in the state of Maharashtra in India. In the AM and SW bands there was hardly any reception though that could be due to the my location. These are the only channels that it could play.

1. Band: FM, Frequency: 91.1 MHz, Name: Radio City
2. Band: FM, Frequency: 93.5 MHz, Name: Red FM
3. Band: FM, Frequency: 94.3 MHz, Name: Radio One
4. Band: FM, Frequency: 95.0 MHz, Name: Big FM
5. Band: FM, Frequency: 98.3 MHz, Name: Radio Mirchi
6. Band: FM, Frequency: 101.0 MHz, Name: Vividh Bharati
7. Band: FM, Frequency: 104.2 MHz, Name: Radio Mirchi Love
8. Band: FM, Frequency: 107.8 MHz, Name: Puneri Awaz
9. Band: AM, Frequency: 792 kHz, Name: All India Radio (AIR) Pune

MP3 Playback

The MP3 playback support is through a microSD or TransFlash card slot on the top of the device which seems to work well even with large storage like 32 and 64 GB. Listening to MP3 music files on this radio is surprisingly enjoyable. The audio quality is quite impressive, given the price point. However, it lacks a screen to display song information, and there's no shuffle function. Instead, it plays songs in alphabetical order of the file titles. You can skip ahead by 10 files if needed.

Audio Quality

The built-in 5.5 cm speaker provides a maximum 5 watts of mono audio output. Considering the small form factor, there is not much space for high bass response variations though the sound is clear when the reception is good.

Battery

The radio is powered by a removable 3.7V BL-5C 1020mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery. A generic manufactured battery is included in the device which in my experience bloated and became unusable within a year. The device runs without the battery though, if the USB cable is plugged in providing live power.

Warranty

The product comes with a 1-year manufacturer warranty on the device.

Reviews

On Amazon the radio is rated 4.3 out of 5 based on 1,500 customer reviews.

Conclusion

In summary, the XHDATA D-328 is a decent radio for its price, but for a bit more, you can find radios with more features. It's compact, offers decent audio quality, and handles local stations and MP3 podcasts effectively. It's a solid choice, especially if you're on a tight budget, but there are other radios in the same price range that provide even better value. If you're interested in small and affordable radios, there are various options from manufacturers like Tecsun, Tivdio, Degen, and others, so it's worth doing some research to find the one that best suits your preferences. While it may not excel in all areas, its affordability and features make it a compelling option for radio enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.

The D-328 product page at xhdata.com.cn

The product page for the D-328 is here

The user manual is available here at TEKLIB.

Israel at War by Joel C. Rosenberg

"Israel at War" by Joel C. Rosenberg provides an insight at the complex geopolitical and security challenges facing Israel in the Middle East. The book delves into Israel's history, its conflicts with neighboring nations, and the various threats it has encountered. Rosenberg examines how Israel's military, intelligence, and diplomacy have evolved to address these challenges. He also provides an account of Benjamin Netanyahu's rise to become the Prime Minister of Israel after a decade of being kept out of high offices.

Here is my note at Goodreads:

Israel at War : Inside the Nuclear Showdown with Iran by Joel C. Rosenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book delves into Israel's history, its conflicts with neighboring nations, and the various threats it has encountered. It also provides an account of Benjamin Netanyahu's rise to become the Prime Minister of Israel after a decade of being kept out of high offices.

View all my reviews

The Timeless Brilliance of Pink Floyd's "The Wall"

Lately, I have been playing Pink Floyd's album, "The Wall", so I felt an urge to write an appreciation post about it.

If you grew up in the 80s and 90s, there's a good chance that Pink Floyd's album and movie, "The Wall," played a significant role in your musical journey. This iconic work of art has left an unforgettable mark on generations, and its appeal continues to captivate fans around the world.

"The Wall," released in 1979, is a masterpiece that combines music, film, and a thought-provoking narrative. At its core, the album tells the story of Pink, a troubled rock star grappling with the alienation and isolation that fame brings. As Pink descends into madness, the wall he builds around himself becomes a metaphor for the barriers we all construct to protect ourselves from the world.

The track, "Another Brick in the Wall," stands out not only for its unforgettable melody but also for its powerful message. It was an anthem for a generation, reflecting the frustrations and disillusionment of youth. The call for "We don't need no education" resonated with countless listeners.

The album is implied to be an endless loop with the final song, Outside the Wall, ending with the words "Isn't this where...", and the album begins with the words "... we came in?" with a continuation of the melody of the last song, hinting at the cyclical nature of Roger Water's theme. [source]

The album's iconic artwork was designed by Gerald Scarfe and is a visual feast that complements the music. Though I haven't had the fortune to be at one, the live performances of "The Wall" were a spectacle, featuring a massive wall being built between the band and the audience during the show.

Even though "The Wall" was released over four decades ago, its themes of isolation, disillusionment, and the human desire for connection are as relevant today as they were in the 70s. This enduring resonance is a testament to the timelessness of Pink Floyd's music and the profound impact of "The Wall" on the world of rock and roll.

In conclusion, "The Wall" is a cultural yardstick. Its music and narrative continue to inspire and provoke thought, and continues the legacy of Pink Floyd.

How to get stock prices from Google Finance in Google Sheets

Google Sheets has a very convenient feature to grab stock prices and other details from its Google Finance service and display in spreadsheets.

Photo by Oren Elbaz on Unsplash

It not only lets you get the latest real-time stock prices but also gets historical prices. This feature can be an interesting add-on to your financial spreadsheets or to build a tracker for your holdings or just to build a simple watchlist.

Get the real-time price of a stock

The simplest way to get the real-time stock prices is to use the =GOOGLEFINANCE() function with just the stock ticker or symbol using the following syntax.

=GOOGLEFINANCE(ticker)

For example, writing the following in a cell would display the current stock price of Apple.

=GOOGLEFINANCE("AAPL")

In Google Sheets, it looks like this:

The =GOOGLEFINANCE() function also accepts several attributes that can be used to get more information about a stock including the name, current and historical prices.

We will get into more examples of using attributes later, but for an example, using the "name" attribute like =GOOGLEFINANCE("AAPL", "name") returns the name of the company for the stock ticker.

Creating a watchlist

You can easily create a list of stocks that you want to monitor using the real-time attributes that are available by default with the =GOOGLEFINANCE() function. To use an attribute just add the attribute as a parameter in the function. For example, to get the market capitalization, use something like:

=GOOGLEFINANCE("AAPL", "marketcap")

In Google Sheets, it looks like this:

Here are some attributes that can be useful for building a watchlist. For the latest and full list of attributes, refer to this page on Google Support.

• "price" - Real-time price quote, delayed by up to 20 minutes. This is a default attribute.
• "priceopen" - The price as of market open.
• "high" - The current day's high price.
• "low" - The current day's low price.
• "volume" - The current day's trading volume.
• "marketcap" - The market capitalization of the stock.
• "tradetime" - The time of the last trade.
• "datadelay" - How far delayed the real-time data is.
• "volumeavg" - The average daily trading volume.
• "pe" - The price/earnings ratio.
• "eps" - The earnings per share.
• "high52" - The 52-week high price.
• "low52" - The 52-week low price.
• "change" - The price change since the previous trading day's close.
• "beta" - The beta value.
• "changepct" - The percentage change in price since the previous trading day's close.
• "closeyest" - The previous day's closing price.
• "shares" - The number of outstanding shares.
• "currency" - The currency in which the security is priced.

Using these attributes, a watchlist can be built that looks like this:

Ticker or symbol for a particular stock

The easiest way to get the ticker for a particular stock is to perform a search in your favorite search engine with the name of the company followed by the word "stock".

For example, in Google, search with the keywords "Apple stock" to get the result shown below where the stock ticker is listed as NASDAQ: AAPL.

Now use the symbol in a Google Sheets formula like =GOOGLEFINANCE("NASDAQ:GOOG") to get the current price. Notice that we have removed any blank spaces in the ticker name.

Notice that the symbol contains two parts which are separated by a colon. The part on the left of the colon is the designated exchange code and the part on the right is the symbol or ticker. For US stocks, Google Sheets automatically grabs the prices if you just use the ticker like =GOOGLEFINANCE("AAPL") but for international stocks it is best to specify the designated exchange code along with the ticker with no space in between. To get accurate results and avoid discrepancies it is recommended to always use the designated exchange code along with the ticker like =GOOGLEFINANCE("NASDAQ:AAPL").

To get the ticker of Tata Steel which is listed in the National Stock Exchange in India, a search result would return something like what is shown below.

Now use the symbol in a Google Sheets formula like =GOOGLEFINANCE("NSE:TATASTEEL") to get the current price.

A similar example is the Tessenderlo Group which is listed in the Brussels Stock Exchange, for which you can use =GOOGLEFINANCE("EBR:TESB".

Historical stock price

The historical price of stocks can aid in the analysis for choosing the right pick. The =GOOGLEFINANCE() function can also be used to get this historical data by using these attributes.

• "open" - The opening price for the specified date(s).
• "close" - The closing price for the specified date(s).
• "high" - The high price for the specified date(s).
• "low" - The low price for the specified date(s).
• "volume" - The volume for the specified date(s).
• "all" - All of the above.

To get the list of prices for a stock from a start date to an end date use the following syntax:

=GOOGLEFINANCE(ticker,[attribute],[start date],[end date | number of days],"DAILY")

For example, the following formula gets the daily closing price of the stock between two dates:

=GOOGLEFINANCE("NASDAQ:AAPL","price",DATE(2020,1,1),DATE(2020,1,14),"DAILY")

The following formula can be used to get the closing price of a stock for 8 trading days starting from a particular date:

=GOOGLEFINANCE("NASDAQ:AAPL","price",DATE(2020,1,1),8,"DAILY")

This formula can be used to get the closing price on trading days since the last 30 days:

=GOOGLEFINANCE("NASDAQ:AAPL","price", TODAY()-30), TODAY(),"DAILY")

The following formula will get all the historical attributes of a stock for 8 trading days starting from a particular date:

=GOOGLEFINANCE("NASDAQ:AAPL", "all", DATE(2020,1,1),8,"DAILY")

Charting Historical Prices using SPARKLINE

The =SPARKLINE() function can be used in combination to historical stock prices from =GOOGLEFINANCE() to display a chart in Google Sheets. The following formula will display a chart plotting the price trend over the last 90 days for the Apple stock.

=SPARKLINE(GOOGLEFINANCE("NASDAQ:AAPL", "price",TODAY()-90, TODAY()))

Sparklines can be used to enhance your watchlist to provide a miniature visual on how the prices are trending.

Mutual Fund Prices

The =GOOGLEFINANCE() function can also be used to grab prices of mutual funds. There are several attributes to provide this functionality.

• "closeyest" - The previous day's closing price.
• "date" - The date at which the net asset value was reported.
• "returnytd" - The year-to-date return.
• "netassets" - The net assets.
• "change" - The change in the most recently reported net asset value and the one immediately prior.
• "changepct" - The percentage change in the net asset value.
• "yieldpct" - The distribution yield, the sum of the prior 12 months' income distributions (stock dividends and fixed income interest payments) and net asset value gains divided by the previous month's net asset value number.
• "returnday" - One-day total return.
• "return1" - One-week total return.
• "return4" - Four-week total return.
• "return13" - Thirteen-week total return.
• "return52" - Fifty-two-week (annual) total return.
• "return156" - 156-week (3-year) total return.
• "return260" - 260-week (5-year) total return.
• "incomedividend" - The amount of the most recent cash distribution.
• "incomedividenddate" - The date of the most recent cash distribution.
• "capitalgain" - The amount of the most recent capital gain distribution.
• "morningstarrating" - The Morningstar "star" rating.
• "expenseratio" - The fund's expense ratio.

For example, to get the last closing price of the Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund, use something like:

=GOOGLEFINANCE("MUTF:SWPPX", "closeyest")

A combination of these attributes can be used to create a watchlist that looks like this.

Cryptocurrency Prices

There are limited ways that you can use the =GOOGLEFINANCE() function to grab real-time prices of some cryptocurrencies. At the time of this writing, it works with Bitcoin and Ethereum. To do this use the cryptocurrency symbol that you see in the URL as shown below.

From the URL shown in the example above, you can take the BTC-USD ticker and use it directly like this in a formula.

=GOOGLEFINANCE("BTC-USD")

This will pull the price and display in a cell in Google Sheets.

Conclusion

To sum up, monitoring stocks, mutual funds and cryptocurrency within Google Sheets is a potent method for analyze your holdings. It is user-friendly, adaptable, and doesn't cost a dime. Consequently, you can promptly access both historical and real-time stock information on your spreadsheet. I hope this article holds some helpful information for you.

Here is this posted in LinkedIn.

Who Was Gandhi by Dana Meachen Rau

Who Was Gandhi by Dana Meachen Rau is a concise and engaging biography of Mahatma Gandhi, a key figure in India's struggle for independence through nonviolent means. This book offers an accessible overview of Gandhi's life, his role in civil rights movements, and his philosophy of nonviolence. It covers his early years, his transformative experiences in South Africa, and his leadership in India's fight for freedom. Readers will gain insights into his peaceful protests, like the Salt March, and his impact on the world. A great introduction to the life of a remarkable man who inspired change through peaceful resistance.

My log at GoodReads:

Who Was Gandhi? by Dana Meachen Rau
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book offers an accessible overview of Gandhi's life, his role in civil rights movements, and his philosophy of nonviolence. A great introduction to the life of a remarkable man who inspired change through peaceful resistance.

View all my reviews

The Dozier School for Boys by Elizabeth Murray

The Dozier School for Boys: Forensics, Survivors, and a Painful Past by Elizabeth Murray is a chilling exposé of the infamous Florida reform school, revealing a history of abuse, neglect, and mysterious deaths of young inmates. Murray's investigative work uncovers shocking secrets and sheds light on the horrors that took place within the school's walls, highlighting the need for reform and justice.

Here is my log at Goodreads:

The Dozier School for Boys: Forensics, Survivors, and a Painful Past by Elizabeth A. Murray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A chilling exposé of the infamous Florida reform school, revealing a history of abuse, neglect, and mysterious deaths of young inmates.

Useful resources on the web

This post as a live list of useful resources for use on the web separated by categories. I will try to keep this updated whenever I can. See the date at the post's footer to know the last updated date.

Privacy

TOSDR (Terms of Service; Didn't Read)

This is a community project that analyzes and grades terms of services on various websites, which users don't really read when they sign up when signing up. The TOS is presented in a very simple manner so you don't need to go through all the legal jargon.

https://tosdr.org/

Last verified: 2023-10-08

Over Half of Portugal's Electricity Now Comes from Clean Energy

Portugal has made significant progress towards achieving its renewable energy targets, with renewable energy sources accounting for 54% of its energy consumption in 2019. This is higher than the EU average of 18%. Latest figures claim that the figure is now at 60%. The Portugal News writes here.

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

At the end of 2021, Portugal became coal-free after shutting down its 628MW Pego coal-fired power plant, privately owned by utility Tejo Energia. Pego's closure came just ten months after the shutdown of the 1,250MW Sines coal plant, owned by national utility EDP.

Fossil Q Explorist HR (Gen 4) Smartwatch: Impressive looks but lacks in the battery

The Fossil Q Explorist HR (Gen 4) smartwatch (Model: DW6F1) is a Wear OS-based smartwatch made by the Fossil Group. It has a round bezel with a masculine look and feel and water resistance up to 98 feet. It doesn't support SIM-based mobile communications but has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi options to pair and synchronize with a smartphone. The watch was first announced in August 2018 and subsequently released later in the same month in the US and elsewhere.

Fossil Q Explorist HR (Gen 4) - FTW4016

The watch case is made of stainless steel which is available in 6 attractive color combinations. Some popular case colors are stainless steel, smoke stainless steel, brown leather, tan leather, black leather and black silicon. Printed on the back panel is the Fossil logo, the model number, a CE marking and the country or origin, which is China.

The one that I will review here is the SKU variant FTW4016 that comes in a blue stainless-steel case with tan leather straps which was purchased in November 2018 when it was retailing in Amazon.com for $178.50 before taxes. The delivery was fairly quick, and I had the device in my hands in two days. It comes in a hard cubical box which includes the smartwatch with the battery built in, a magnetic charging dock with a USB cable, and a quick start guide. The same was selling on Fossil.com for $179 with an original listed price of $275 before taxes. This 2023 review is based on experiences after its use in the last 4.5 years.

Setup

Setting up the device is simple. Before powering up for the first time, charge it till 100% using the provided magnetic charger. Install the Wear OS app on your smartphone and pair it with the watch using Bluetooth.

Fossil Q Explorist HR in the box

Display

The touch screen display consists of a 1.4-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 454 x 454 pixels. The 16M color screen displays pretty crisp and vivid colors and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. The interface is nice, and the screen is pretty responsive.

Calling

As the smartwatch doesn't include a built-in speaker, it doesn't allow to speak over the device itself. It, however, does show notifications for incoming calls and let you receive or reject calls directly from the display. To carry on the conversation, you have to use your phone. This is useful though when you are driving with your phone connected to the vehicle's infotainment system.

Messaging

The messaging application displays Short Messaging Service (SMS) messages on-screen. If you have other messaging apps installed, like WhatsApp, they can also be displayed.

Sensors

The device has several inbuilt sensors for accelerometer, ambient light, gyroscope, and heart rate.

Performance

The watch runs the Wear OS by Google on a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 CPU with 512 MB RAM and 4 GB of internal storage. It is compatible with phones running Android OS 4.4+ and Apple iOS 9.3+ and handles most tasks smoothly, sometimes with a little lag after all these years.

Audio Quality

The device doesn't have an in-built speaker.

Microphone

An in-built microphone allows you to use voice commands to perform a variety of tasks - which includes performing a web search.

Camera

The device does not feature a camera.

Internal Storage

The internal memory of 4GB provides storage for installing a fair number of apps from the Google Play Store. You can also store music in the internal storage and play them straight from the watch.

Expandable Storage

There is no option for additional storage.

Battery

One major component of a wearable device is the battery as that is what keeps it going. The smartwatch is powered by a non-removable 3.8V APack 1ICP4/25/30 330 mAh Li-ion battery packed into the casing. The watch charges from a small magnetic charging dock with an attached USB cable. It supports rapid charging that can get the battery up to 80% in an hour. The battery life at the time of purchase was about a day with moderate usage but this has deteriorated significantly over the last couple of years.

Connectivity

The Q Explorist HR allows synchronization with a smartphone via Bluetooth 4.1 LE. It also connects through Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n. There is no option for cellular connectivity through a SIM card. GPS is in-built so the watch can use GPS even when it is not tethered with the phone. It also supports NFC at 13.56 MHz which lets you make payments from Google Pay even when your phone is not with you.

SAR (Specific Absorption Rate)

The highest SAR value for this smartwatch is 0.40 W/kg on the face and 0.60 W/kg on the wrist. The SAR limit for a wrist-worn mobile device set by the FCC is 4.0 W/kg.

FCC ID

The FCC ID for the device is UK7-DW6A and the reports are available here.

Warranty

The product comes with a 2-year manufacturer warranty on the device. For me, within a month's use, the leather band was damaged, and the Fossil support told me that the accessory was not supported within the warranty. It took some convincing to get a replacement band from them.

Reviews

On Best Buy the watch is rated 4.2 out of 5 with 81% recommendation based on 196 customer reviews. Amazon has also rated it 4.2 based 4,400 customer reviews.

Conclusion

The smartwatch has performed well over the years and the body and display is still intact with no scratches. I have seen the battery life deteriorate pretty fast over time. The look and feel are still attractive.

The product page for the FTW4017P is here.

The user manual is available here at ManualsLib, and here at the FCC ID database.

Google Podcasts moving to YouTube Music

In a blog post, the YouTube team announced the availability of podcasts on its YouTube Music app globally which is a step forward towards discontinuing Google Podcasts later in 2024.

Screenshot below shows podcasts in search results on YouTube Music for Android app version 6.20.51.

Earlier in April this year, YouTube Music started carrying podcasts in the US only which received mixed reactions from users as many popular podcasts were not available or were hard to find along with the inability to add RSS feeds [source].

The screenshot below shows the New episodes feed in the YouTube Music Library.

Google Podcasts has been around since June 2018 and is presently available on the Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and ChromeOS platforms alongside it's browser-accessible website. It is the 4th-most popular podcast platform after Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio.

The screenshot below shows Google Podcasts version 1.0.0.5 running on Android.

Google Graveyard has added Google Podcasts as the 289th service that Google has killed.

US Government makes available more COVID-⁠19 test kits for free

Every U.S. household may again place an order to receive four free COVID-⁠19 rapid antigen tests to be delivered at no extra cost. The order can be placed at COVIDtests.com. A similar distribution was also done in January 2022 which I had written about here.

https://web.archive.org/web/20230925153653/https://www.covid.gov/tests

Find files with path lengths exceeding CD/DVD restrictions using Windows PowerShell

If you have been burning CDs or DVDs for your personal archives or any other purposes, you already know it allows file paths only up to 255 characters. If you are burning files in bulk it an often difficult to ensure that your file path lengths confirm to the prescribed limits. Or if you are like me, then you probably want to limit the path length to 100-150 characters for manageability and protection against burn failures.

For this example, we consider a bunch of subfolders and files in a local drive path named "D:\MUSIC-Full-Backup\BACKUP0933\ARCHIVE05". We intend to burn the content inside this folder on the root of a DVD disc. For this purpose, we want to know which files here breach the 100-character limit of path length so we can take appropriate action to correct this.

Open the Windows PowerShell and change directory to "D:\MUSIC-Full-Backup\BACKUP0933\ARCHIVE05". Next run the following command at the prompt:

cmd /c dir /s /b *.* |? { $curPath="D:\MUSIC-Full-Backup\BACKUP0933\ARCHIVE05"; $_.length-$curPath.length -gt 100 }

Here we are deducting the length of the current path from the full path of each file as it will not be part of the patch when it is burned the DVD. This should list all files in the folder which exceeds the length of 100 characters. An example output is below.

D:\MUSIC-Full-Backup\BACKUP0933\ARCHIVE05\Greatest Collection of the Century\JD YNK ULEATOBS NKY ULEATOBS\ARH OKIKIS VS LSNEIA LYTFTUREB JD KYN MAHUSP IXM.mp3

D:\MUSIC-Full-Backup\BACKUP0933\ARCHIVE05\Greatest Collection of the Century\JD YNK ULEATOBS NKY ULEATOBS\REMAD NO VS UHJT EINM ARB ILIONV TEEHM IMX FT SPEENAD.mp3

D:\MUSIC-Full-Backup\BACKUP0933\ARCHIVE05\Greatest Collection of the Century\JD YNK ULEATOBS NKY ULEATOBS\UHTJE HULBA IADY RESROPIVSEG NRETAC IMX.mp3

Now you can go to the individual folder and plan your strategy for shortening the path lengths.

Apple iPhone 15 available worldwide

Apple's new iPhone lineup, which includes iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, hit the markets worldwide today, September 22, 2023. In addition to the above devices, Apple also made available Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, the new Apple Watch SE, and AirPods Pro (2nd generation). [press release]

iPhones on display at Apple Regent Street, London. Credit: apple.com

The iPhone 15, 15 Plus devices were debuted on September 12 with a press release and has been available for pre-order since September 15.

The entry-level iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are available in blue, pink, yellow, green and black with 128GB, 256 GB and 512GB variants. iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are available in natural titanium, blue titanium, white titanium and black with 128GB, 256 GB, 512GB and 1TB variants.

The listed prices at online Apple Stores in a few countries are below:

Country	iPhone 15	iPhone 15 Plus	iPhone 15 Pro	iPhone 15 Pro Max
United States - carrier locked - excl. taxes	$799	$899	$999	$1,199
United States - carrier unlocked - excl. taxes	$829	$929	$999	$1,199
Canada - excl. taxes	C$1,129	C$1,279	C$1,449	C$1,749
India - incl. taxes	₹79,900	₹89,900	₹134,900	₹159,900
UK - incl. taxes	£799	£899	£999	£1,199
Australia - incl. taxes	A$1,499	A$1,649	A$1,849	A$2,199
New Zealand - incl. taxes	NZ$1,649	NZ$1,849	NZ$2,099	NZ$2,499
Thailand - incl. taxes	฿32,900	฿37,900	฿41,900	฿48,900

Happy shopping.

Most NFTs are worthless now

An investigation by dappGambl revealed that out of a sample of 73,257 NFT collections, 69,795 (95%) have a market cap of 0 Ether (ETH). This indicates that around 95% of the investments on NFTs are currently worthless in the market. [report]

Non-fungible Tokens (NFT) had taken a ride along with the cryptocurrency boom and peaked in 2021/22 when it was regularly buzzing in the news with celebrities joining the hype.

An NFT is a data file, stored on a type of digital ledger called a blockchain, which can be sold and traded. The NFT can be associated with a particular asset – digital or physical – such as an image, art, music, or recording of a sports event. [Wikipedia]

Using the Windows PowerShell to bulk rename files by stripping a part from the filename

This post demonstrates how to rename files in bulk by stripping off the same part of the filename from each file by using the Windows PowerShell.

For the sake of an example, the below screenshot shows a list of MP3 files from which we want to remove artist names. The part of the filename that we want to remove is marked in red.

This can easily be achieved with the PowerShell by using a command like the one below. Remember to take a backup of the folder just in case you need to restore later. Before executing the command in the PowerShell, change directory to the folder in which the files reside:

get-childitem *.mp3 | foreach { rename-item $_ $_.Name.Replace("Paul Revere & The Raiders - ", "") }

The command executes silently and does a neat job in cleaning up the file names. Here is the result.

Send Your Name to Mars on NASA's next mission

NASA is taking registrations to send names to the next Mars mission. It asks for your name, country, zip code and email to register. You can sign up here.

After registering you will receive a boarding pass that you can download print or embed in your webpage like the one below.

Previously, NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover, which had landed on February 18, 2021, carried names of 10.9 million people embedded into silicon chips. (Source)

How to count the number of values in a comma separated (CSV) string in SQL

As the title states, this post demonstrates how to count the number of values in a comma separated string in SQL. The method we use here is to count the number of characters in the string minus the number of characters in the string after all the commas are removed, plus 1. This technique would also work if there are empty values in the CSV string.

On SQL Server you can use something like this:

DECLARE @CSVStr NVARCHAR(50);

SET @CSVStr = N'empid,fname,mane,lname,age,addr,dob,doj';

DECLARE @ValueCount INT;

-- Length of string minus length of string after all commas are removed

SET @ValueCount = LEN(@CSVStr) - LEN(REPLACE(@CSVStr, ',', '')) + 1;

SELECT @ValueCount AS ValCount;

Output:

8

To do the same in MySQL use the following (tested on version 8.0.30-0ubuntu0.20.04.2):

SET @CSVStr = 'empid,fname,mane,lname,age,addr,dob,doj';

-- Length of string minus lengh of string after all commas are removed

SET @ValueCount = CHAR_LENGTH(@CSVStr) - CHAR_LENGTH(REPLACE(@CSVStr, ',',

    '')) + 1;

SELECT @ValueCount AS ValCount;

Output:

8

On a proprietary implementation of SQL like the Aspen SQLplus v14, the following would work:

LOCAL CSVStr CHAR(50);

CSVStr = 'empid,fname,mane,lname,age,addr,dob,doj';

LOCAL ValueCount INT;

-- Length of string minus lengh of string after all commas are removed

ValueCount = CHARACTER_LENGTH(CSVStr) -

             CHARACTER_LENGTH(REPLACE(',' WITH '' IN CSVStr)) + 1;

WRITE ValueCount;

Output:

8