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Total Number of Subscribers: 464 |
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Date: 25th Sep 2009 |
Compiled by: M Sathya Kumar |
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With the advent of globalisation, the stress in our work environment and work culture has increased manifold. In order to cope with the pressures of work, we have to resort to multitask, i.e., deliver multiple assignments, be at various places, and communicate with more than one person, all at the same time. In such situations, often one feels the need for a 48-hour day, or additional pair of arms to simply meet the day-to-day challenges. Luckily for us, technology can be a god sent in this scenario. How : We could opt for Multifunction Devices (MFDs). These devices are usually 4 or 5 devices bundled into one single unit. An example of an MFD is a 6-in-1 which could be a Printer-cum-Scanner-cum-Fax-cum-Copier-cum-Phone-cum-Answering Machine. The question is, do you need them and are they worth it ? Let’s take it step by step. To answer both the questions, one needs to take stock of current resources and its future requirements. One could start with his own office which typically would be organised as, a P4/AMD 3.2Ghz or thereabouts, flat-screen monitor, CDR/DVD combo, Mutlimedia, Flat-bed scanner, Laser Printer, Voice/Fax/data modem and many a times a Fax-cum-answering machine. Add to this, a pile of pending files, a never-decreasing mountain of papers and your other reading material. All this in a cubicle. This is a nightmarish reality in cities like Mumbai, where property prices are just like the Sensex, touching new peaks. As the staff strength increases, so does your investment in hardware (without a corresponding increase in physical space). The result is clear :
In this situation, an MFD would act like a silver bullet. The big pros for a 6-in-1 device is that although it is slightly bulky, it would still occupy much lesser space than 6 devices put together. Unlike single devices, built-in options allow the users to share all of them across the network. Thus reducing the total investment in hardware. Some other hidden benefits can be availed, such as lesser wires to deal with, since only one device is being used there is saving in power consumption. Even the consumable bills for the ink cartridges can be cut down substantially. Instead of dealing with 6 different agencies for the service and maintenance-related issues, only one will be answerable. Compatibility will no longer be an issue. With every good you have some bad, like limitations of not everybody will have access to the printer/fax/scanner at the same time, if the device conks off, then there will be a total chaos (more like putting all the eggs in one basket). The MFD may not give a superior quality output as a single unit would, but that’s a given (a Specialist is always better than a General Practitioner). One can assess his own needs before making the investment decision. Another common example is your PDA-cum-cell phone which would have a phone (but of course), Personal Information Manager, Mobile office suite, camera, MP3 player, WAP/GPRS-enabled to facilitate emailing and Internet surfing, capable of syncing with your laptop or desktop via infra-red/bluetooth or USB cable. A sizeable majority of the working population has to commute to work, which would shave off at least 2 hours from their total working hours. In real terms that translated to a significant loss. If a person wanted to carry his work data with him, be able to communicate with the office and clients, listen to music, etc., he would need a laptop, IPOD, cell phone (GPRS-enabled), couple of cables (power cord, USB cable to connect the IPOD, cell phone). Imagine carrying all this in a local train. Either you or your equipment, one of the two will not be able to get on/off the train. Not only this, both of you will be soon visiting the repair shop (in your case, the hospital). Once again, MFDs can come to your rescue. Investing in a PDA-cum-cell phone would address your pressing need. But it is important that the real need be identified. It could be :
If it is only communication, then one needs to invest in a phone with GPRS/WAP capabilities. To add more pizzazz, ensure that the phone has a speaker phone or capable of supporting a blue-tooth earpiece, so that you can talk hands and wire free. If on the other hand, your need is to carry large amounts of data, check and see if the phone is capable of supporting memory cards and transfer the data to the phone (no need for CDs. DVDs, pen drives). If your phone doesn’t give you this luxury, check your IPOD. An IPOD besides being an MP3 player is also a mass-storage device. It can be used to carry, store and transport data. In fact, there are a variety of options here — you could buy a pen drive capable of playing MP3 songs also. But if you are required to travel often and still be able to meet your commitments, then the best investment would be a decent PDA-cum-cell phone which will offer you the capability of working on the fly. The right phone may set you back by a good 30 or 40K, but it will be worth it. The features to look for would be :
Each of the above has its importance, because unless the phone offers connectivity, it is nothing more than an expensive toy (read paperweight). The on-screen key board, though convenient and comes with an auto complete option, may not be as convenient as you think, for 2 reasons, one that the screen size may be so small that reading and typing could be a painful affair, the other, given the potholed roads in Mumbai, you are most likely to become immobile before you send the mail. There are many, who for this reason, prefer a keyboard. But now with OCR technology improving, one can look at writing mails rather than typing. Next in order of importance is memory space and battery life. Just like a car, if you buy a car you have to spend on accessories and fuel. Most phones will come with 32-MB memory which can be expanded by add-on memory sticks and cards. If the phone gives you an option for expanding memory, then the next important thing is how long will the battery life last. Given the options available, the choice isn’t going to be easy. But not to worry, the next article will offer you some insight as to what to look for in a high-end cell phone, how to evaluate your options to get more bang for your money. Until then, God speed
Article by Samir Kapadia, Chartered Accountant | |
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