Kamal Baruah
(kamal.baruah@yahoo.com)
I could see dark clouds hovering over the sky through my windscreen, and it was raining cats and dogs out there that caused severe waterlogging and traffic congestion in several parts of the Nine Mile. The residents of Assam capital put the blame for the urban flood on cutting trees and destroying hills in the Ri-Bhoi District of Meghalaya. As I reached nearer to USTM, water was cascading down the hilly road. Suddenly, my clutch paddle went down and my heart thumped. Somehow, I managed to get out of that terrible path towards my city, Guwahati.
And I dialled the helpline on the very next day. The reply came as a shocking blow, as my vehicle’s software updates are due. Are you serious about the mechanical fault related to such software? Like a computer or smartphone, your vehicle has embedded software fully integrated into the vehicle. The updates are designed to improve the operation and performance of your vehicle and may include new features or functionalities. Once the update is available, you will be notified. After a fortnight, a car recall was issued by the manufacturer to address a safety defect or problem identified with my vehicle.
I left my car at Skoda servicing bay and walked by the highway, wondering at such terminology ‘updates’ that is becoming the order of the day. Updates provide important security fixes and are recommended for all users. The tray icon of the Windows update system often slows down our computer at work, so the iPhone warns periodically to update your iOS device. And the list goes on about updates and reviews on the latest gadgets in tech, including smartphones, wearables, laptops, drones, and all consumer electronic needs nowadays.
Soon an e-rickshaw arrived and gave me a lift to my next bus stand. These e-rickshaws—also known in places as tuk-tuks and totos—have brought a major revolution in cleaner mobility and now become the mainstay of urban and rural last-line transport systems. The uphill struggles of cycle rickshaw pullers in India were quite horrifying and upsetting. Anytime the rickshaw went uphill, I would get off and push it. Yet, that was the only mode of public transport available in those days, and whether we liked it or not, we had to use it. Those untold stories are now upgraded with imported motors from China.
The red, white, and blues were stopping by a howling conductor. I wasn’t interested in those calls. Finally, a green greeted us all with a smile. The door opened automatically. The air conditioning gave me a respite amid the crowded passengers inside the ultra-electric bus that is designed to provide a safe, comfortable, and convenient intra-city commute. However, the ticket checker had not enough of a change of Rs. 500 denomination for a Rs. 20 bus ride and asked me to tender the exact fare.
Each route has its charm; every co-passenger has a tale to tell. Upon seeing my grey hair, a fellow young man at my right side was felt with pity and pointed out at phone-pay stickers. ‘Uncle Upgrade: with tap to pay, this UPI seamlessly pays online. I wasn’t disheartened by today’s tech-savvy consumers, and nothing will stop me in my quest for digital know-how perfection either. Looking back in the heady days of early 2016, I still use my genuine budget iPhone SE. At that instant, I took out my first-generation smartphone, scanned the QR code sticker, and paid the fare at Google Pay. You haven’t seen anything yet. I’m upgraded.