GMAIL should now be called Grab-your-links-MAIL

It's been a rough ride for privacy seekers out there since the last few months. All the big T-companies have been notoriously grabbing onto data in any way possible. Google which portrayed itself a "not-an-evil" company, is also not left behind. 

If you have not read the recent articles on how Google continues to track your location even if you have to turned off the location history, then, here's a google search on this, before you click on this - read the blog below:

https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=Google+still+tracks+you+through+the+web+if+you+turn+off+Location+History&oq=Google+still+tracks+you+through+the+web+if+you+turn+off+Location+History&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j69i64.496j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

While you can read on this in several articles later, I want to draw your attention on the tracking code (see the red coloured part below) that google puts in to find out not just what I was searching for, but from where and other related stuff to get more insights into me. (See, even a human can read some part of this - I used chrome to search for it and my timezone was GMT+8)

https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=Google+still+tracks+you+through+the+web+if+you+turn+off+Location+History&oq=Google+still+tracks+you+through+the+web+if+you+turn+off+Location+History&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j69i64.496j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I was until recently using google chrome on my mobile too.  When I open a link in any of the emails sent to me, it used to open in my one and only default (system) browser - Chrome. I used to see this:

I clicked on the "Women" link on spam email that led to open the system default browser to Chrome which showed it opened http://www.google.com (for an unknown reason) and then opened up this Women's section of the spam mailer I clicked on.

Now why did it open www.google.com was somewhat a mystery for some time. This actually happened to any link clicked in any email that appeared on my gmail app. Why don't you try it out yourself right at this moment - Just click on any link in any recent emails sent to you on your gmail app, just notice the first link the embedded browser opens before the actual webpage.

I switched to Mozilla Firefox on my Android recently and switched the default browser to Firefox on my mobile (https://www.wikihow.tech/Set-the-Android-Browser-Home-Page). This uncovered this mystery, and no surprises, the innocent looking google.com wasn't so innocent after all.

The link I clicked on was being sent to google.com with a tracking id of what link it is and possibly with other similar information about me. (the url?q= is the variable that holds the hyperlink information about the link I just clicked on).. Well done google, you just got to know that I am interested in an women's dress - start bombarding me with ads related to that, mind reader! (i couldn't get the complete link to paste it here, no copy paste available at this page). The original link had nothing to do with Google though highlighted below.

Now, I would assume - this is well covered in the gmail's privacy policy to protect themselves behind the legal jargons, but they have no right to track my email links that I click on.

At this juncture, so frustrated with Gmail, I wanted to go back to Newton HQ (https://newtonhq.com/) one of the most simplistic, minimalistic mail client to replace with Gmail, but found this goodbye note. A sad goodbye, indeed. I used it, loved it, left it to go back to gmail app as it didn't support gmail labels.

Highlighting this quote from Rohit Nadhani,

"It was hard; the market for premium consumer mail apps is not big enough, and it faces stiff competition from high quality free apps from Google, Microsoft, and Apple. We put up a hard and honest fight, but it was not enough to overcome the bundling & platform default advantages enjoyed by the large tech companies." 

A quote that comes to my mind right now from Star Trek:

Universal law is for lackeys, context is for kings. 

I would now say:

"Default is for lackeys, personalisation is for kings! 

What's a good solution for a mail client now? Outlook? anybody?

Unintended consequences of design thinking

Source: unsplash

It has been a revealing time for designers and may be the start of those times when they are becoming self-critical of their design consequences that has changed the way we live and let live today. 

When the original Apple iPhone was announced by Steve Jobs, he was very specific to say that the size of the iPhone was just the "right size" noting that people don’t want a device “you can’t get your hand around.” However, companies including Apple itself went on to break this rule by many folds and today a 5.5" screen has become a norm - probably a standard at the manufacturing facilities. Probably, why all designs are almost identical today. 

If you are a lady or a gent, it's quite uncomfortable in any pocket (especially in something worn by 90% of the people).  The design made it inconvenient to put it in the pocket, but made is super convenient for getting hooked on to and never letting it go. The circle of getting hooked onto is vicious - Starting the moment it buzzes when it's right in front of you so you can get chatty; makes it convenient to switch on the camera when you spotted something that makes you happy and forget to live the moment.  it's also makes it handy to check that email when you are walking with your loved one. Was this intended or unintended -  the companies aren't the ones complaining.  

Brilliant work designers - you have certainly left something to hold on to in dire straits. 

Indians - IT, space programs but far from trustworthy

Source: unsplash

Indians have been known for computers, engineering and now recently for ambitious space programs, but it will be long before, the world considers them professional and trustworthy. I am writing with a wish to correct this.

A disclosure to begin with, I am an Indian by birth and by heart. I feel very proud to have imbibed the Indian culture within during my upbringing. However, I have been living out of India from the last decade - long enough to get insights into how another national feels about Indians and also in many ways get a first hand experience by other fellow Indians which has influenced me to write this article.

Many at times, when aiming for anything - whether it's for getting a new job or to get funding for a startup or even for new skates from one's parents - the pitch would be a winner not only if the technicality is real, but most importantly it should be believable. For example - when my son pitches how important it is for him to have a new set of skates and how he can master it very quickly and make me a happy father, what is also important is whether he is believable or not - especially after a fact that the bike he got as a gift for his last birthday has been taken out exactly 10 times in the last 11 months.

Whether the fact is correct or not is irrelevant, but you get the point don't you? It's not just making a promise, but one should keep it to the best of one's ability. Indians; not all, but a few bad ones have not made the lot proud in this area. Indians should have been known for - Dharma and Righteousness but due to a few bad apples, we are often perceived as cheats, unprofessional or untrustworthy. It hurts other Indians especially when living or doing business abroad.

When we hired a front-end developer 2+ months back from India, we did not expect we would get a taste of this. He was mediocre, but with an attitude to learn, adapt and grow. Being a startup, we took his word as commitment and giving ours as one, offered him a job without going on to draw any agreements and postponed this to later. He also initiated a catch up when he was on a personal trip during transition and we talked about his abilities and our expectations. A very convincing, enthusiastic discussion, didn't expect this surprise coming up. Within two days of his joining he said he is taking up another offer from a big company and won't be continuing with us. I was told that he had this coldness in him which was eerie.

We are glad this happened now and not two months down the road - it would have wasted time of all our team collectively (not that it already hasn't wasted 4-5 months of search and rehiring time). When startups like ours hire, we invest in our teams, spend time to groom them, guide them and help them not just learn new skills and stuff, but unlearn a lot of shit learnt through various systems.

We have no bad feeling about him personally, but he deserves to be sued. A lot of work was planned up for him, it was crucial for us, he knew but, gave a shit.

We always say in my company, Lean Station - commitment is everything. We collectively need to change this attitude in people to be respected in-full for what they are.

I was taught as a part of my upbringing that words coming out our tongues are no different from getting it done - Well this is the Indian culture that seems to have been suppressed somewhere for an unknown reason in some of us. It's time to awaken now when world is watching closely.

Again, commitment is everything folks, prowess is respected only when you gain trust.

By the way, we are looking for a front-end developer - if you are interested write to us.