THE NUMBER GAME

TYPES AND CATEGORIES

WHAT THEY SELL

THE TOP GUNS – ALEXA INDIA RANKS

Rankings as on 15th May 2012

SOME QUIRKY STORE NAMES

THE REAL DATA

Google Docs Link

IMPORTANT TRENDS

1. Brands are moving online with their own stores: Examples: NokiaShop, Puma, Reebook, Samsung, Fastrack, VIP etc
2. Fashion is No 1: Top 3 Categories all belong to Fashion, with more than 130 stores (big and small) selling some or the other fashion products. Apart from this 91 stores deal exclusively in Fashion.
3. Rise of Online Exclusive labels: Example: Zovi, Shersingh etc.
4. Lingerie is Big: Over 39 stores sell Lingerie and Innerwear and some prominent names even using Lingerie as hooks on FB ads!
5. Online stores of major offline players: Example: Futurebazaar, Cromaretail, The Mobile Store, Univercell etc
6. Media Publishing Houses foray in ecommerce: Example: Homeshop18, BagitToday, Indiatimes Shopping,  StarCJ etc
7. Ecommerce Platforms gaining traction. Example: BuildaBazaar and Martjack.
8. Popular (deal) sites pivoting to e-tailing: Example: Snapdeal, Koovs, SeventyMM, KyaZoonga etc

SOME INTERESTING STORES

Differentiation is the new motto in Indian ecommerce. The way some are doing it is simply picking a Niche.  In our research, we ran into about 90 niche stores that sold nothing but one thing. Some deserve a special mention.

1. SocialHeart.in: Exclusive handicrafts made by NGOs.
2. YellowLeg.com: The Travel Only Book store.
3. Bewakoof.com: Cool Tshirts with great ribtickling one liners.
4. Bajaao.com: Musical Instruments and Select Albums
5. Induna.com: Great collection of Movies, Films and TV serials
6. WilliamPenn.net: Pens from popular bands such as Faber Castell, Parker etc.
7. OnlinePrasad.com: Pooja items and temple offerings from popular temples.
8. GiftBig.com: Gift Vouchers from top retailers.
9. BulbTiger.com: Indoor lighting fittings and chandeliers.

Loser

Details about Life Of a Software EngineeR by Dipen Ambalia

Name of the Book: Life Of a Software EngineeR
Author: Dipen Ambalia
Price:Rs 90( as on March 08) For updated price check Price of Life Of a Software EngineeR
MRP:Rs 150

Review of Life Of a Software EngineeR

Dipen Ambalia is a software engineer by profession. Having literally passed through the whole Software Development Life Cycle with a career in every sector of Information technology in India from Development and Production Support to Pre-sales and Business Analyst, he has been there and done it all. Here’s a more detailed interview of the author. Dipen has explored his 8.5 years of Software career to come up with this little rib tickling read for all Software engineers and IT enthusiasts.

What kind of life does a Software engineer have? What are some of the common terms used in Software industry? What is the difference between onsite and offsite?  Is it just a myth that Software engineers are the most eligible bachelors in town? What exactly happens in a typical “IT meeting”? Ever wonder what the origin of Outsourcing and Power Point Presentations were? Dipen Ambalia busts a few myths, a few egos and takes no prisoners in this rib tickling satire on the Indian IT sector. If you are a software engineer, you will find yourself looking back and laughing nostalgically, if you happen to be a Project Manager or higher in an IT sector, you would probably launch a Fatwa against this blasphemous writing. If you are a father of an engineering student on the brink of an IT career, you may shake your head in regret. There is definitely something for everyone in this book.

Life of a Software Engineer is a narrative of sorts by the author from his own experiences. Most of the chapters whiz by fast like a typical Sitcom or stand up routine, leaving you laughing, smiling and nodding appreciatively of the small nuances of a software engineer’s life. A few notable chapters in the book include, “The Origin of the Software World” in which the author compares the birth of Outsourcing to the Discovery of America by Columbus or “The Deewar- Those Who have been Onsite and Offsite” that takes a comical look at the differences between people who have been onsite and offsite or the unspoken truth that “Google is God!” in the world of software.

Dipen Ambalia has made some of the most matter of fact events and daily routines look extremely comical. There is ample use of exaggeration in the writing and this has definitely added to the allure of the book. The book doesn’t get preachy or biased in any way, neither does it pretend to be the ultimate bible for all software engineers. In this lies the true charm of the book. The book is a easy and light read with very common language and liberal use of popular references. Such as the reference to popular Hindi news channels sensationalizing nonsensical news such as Aliens liking Himesh Reshammiya or the reference to Rakhi Sawant etc.

The book definitely looks at times like the collection of random musings of a frustrated software engineer and in it lies the true power of the book. There is no character for you to love, it could just about be anyone who has a career in India’s top IT companies. Living their 9-5 (+ overtime) life in cubicles and attending Con calls and sweating through  Appraisals or praying for Onsite. The only draw back the book may face is its too blunt at times or pushes to the point of trying to be funny at times. There are chapters that just draw at max a smile. Like a good jovial person who has a few bad jokes, we may of course overlook the few “jokes” that just don’t hit the spot after all “Bhaavnaon ko Samjho”.  Thankfully though, these troughs are less and far between for an otherwise enjoyable book.

To conlude this review of Life Of a Software Engineer I would say, this is a definite must read for all those who are related to the Indian Software Industry. Fortunately for the author, that’s pretty much the entire nation. If you have a job in IT, if your husband has it ( which maybe unlikely if you go by what the author writes) or if your child is entering the hallowed grounds of India’s many engineering colleges, Uncles, aunts, cousins, neighbors everyone can relate to the candid posts of this frustrated software engineer. Dare I say there may appear a  few Stand up routines and Sitcoms that are spun of from one of the 22 chapters in this book .

MySmartPrice recently caught up with emerging writer Dipen Ambalia. Dipen Ambalia has recently launched a new book with a truly catchy title “Life of a Software Engineer aka LOSER”. Dipen was kind enough to give us this interview.

Hi Dipen, Great pleasure to have you on MySmartPrice for this short interview.

DA: Thanks so much. It’s my pleasure to be giving this interview.

Qn: Tell us a bit about yourself. How did the writing bug bite you?

DA: I am an electrical engineer from VJTI, Mumbai. I have been working in the IT industry since July 2004. I have worked with Polaris Software Labs Ltd., Mphasis (an HP Company), Citius IT solutions Ltd and am currently working with Hexaware Technologies, Mumbai.I have been through the SDLC (software development life cycle)i.e. I have done Development, Production Support, Testing, Business Analysis and am now in Presales.I am an author of two books – 1) In Their Shoes

Dipen Ambalia

… (released in April 2010)

2) LOSER (Life Of a Software EngineeR) – (already out in the market!. More details on www.aboutloser.com).

 

Qs: This book is about life as a Software Engineer. Are you still a Software Engineer or have you moved on and are now a full time writer?

DA: Yes, I am still a software engineer. Now I am in Presales. I wish to become fulltime writer, depending on the response from my dear readers.

Qn: How did you come up with L.O.S.ER? What inspired you to write this book ‘LOSER’?

DA: I am a big fan of Scott Adams.His2 books – 1) The Dilbert Principle 2) Joy at Work- are excellent work of satire on the marketing and management world in general. One day I thought that since I have been in the IT industry for so long – more than 7 years and have been though the whole SDLC, I am in a good position to make a satire on the IT world and then I wrote LOSER by mixing fiction, experience and exaggerating it to make the whole concoction humorous. So, in short LOSER is a satire on the IT world.

Qs: What can readers expect from your book. It it about a particular person or is it about life of a software engineer in general?

DA: Readers can expect real life situations exaggerated to the core! I have used everyday examples or analogies to explain the IT world. For eg: I have compared Arranged Marriages with the Software Development Life Cycle in the world. This comparison has been appreciated by a lot many readers. Similarly I have compared fictitious reports of the very (in)famous contemporary hindi news channels to the situations in the IT world. These things will surely make readers laugh their backside off! (atleast I hope so ). This book is not about any person in particular. It’s like the common man in the IT industry made to go through the various phases in the IT industry. LOSER is a narrative; i.e. it doesn’t have characters or a story as such. While reading the book, you will (or should ) feel as if I am sitting in front of you and talking to you about the software world (and we both laugh together!)

Qs: Will this book appeal to people who are not software engineers ?

DA: Yes, sure. Every and I mean every person in this country has at least one friend, sister, cousin, uncle or any other relative in the IT world. I as a kid used to wonder how one bhaiyya from my building used to enjoy his life in US and used to bring me chocolates when he used to come to India. I always used to be inquisitive about the life of a software engineer. I think that there would be many such people in this country who would like to know what the software engineers do so as to deserve high salaries. And since this book is a satire on the IT world and hence doesn’t glorify the IT world, it is going to be more fun for the non-IT people to read what the IT people actually do in the IT world!

Qn: Tell us a few factoids of your own life as a software engineer.

DA: I have always maintained a rating of 3 or 4 out of 5. I have never tried to excel at work because to get a rating of 5 out of 5 one has to work very hard/ be the project manager’s pet/ pass off colleagues work as yours, etc. My funda is to enjoy work and personal life and shift jobs in 2-3 years to get the necessary hike!

Qn: What is the best part about L.O.S.E.R?

D.A: The best part of LOSER is the humour generated out of unthinkable exaggerated analogies of real life situations with the IT world. In every chapter, the IT reader would feel “abe, haan yaar, mai to exactly aise hi manager ko ulloo banata hun… “ or “this is how the girl coming from onsite behaves re..” and the non-IT reader would laugh his heart out realizing what his IT friends do every day in office!

Qs: Will Software companies find it difficult to recruit once your book is released.

DA: Hahahaha… not sure. If this book is taken seriously then kuch problem ho sakta hai. But, if LOSER is read in the right spirit, then there won’t be any issues!

Qn: L.O.S.E.R is your second book after “In their shoes” . Could you tell us your experience about writing two books.

D.A: Writing books makes me happy. It gives me a creative relief. My first book “In Their Shoes…” was a serious book trying to highlight how ordinary people try to find out happiness in tough times. “In Their Shoes…” is a book about how the world looks like by being in the shoes of different people. I have taken 17 characters and tried to visualize the world from their angle. There are characters such as – a 24-year-old mentally challenged girl, a broke 77-year-old man thrown out of his own house, a 7-year-old girl – Bindiya- a Drummer’s daughter, an uneducated corrupt politician, etc… In short, this book is: By the ordinary, Of the ordinary & For the ordinary…! I got good reviews from people like Dr.Kiran Bedi and newspapers like Maharashtra Times, Loksatta, Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, etc…

LOSER belongs to the humour genre. So, writing this book was itself a fun-loving experience. There were a few chapters where I used to laugh after reading the just-written chapters.

Qn: Who among the present Indian Authors inspires you most.

D.A: As far as serious writing genre is concerned, I like Rohinton Mistry and Sudha Murthy. And on the humour front, I like Scott Adams (creator or Dilbert) and Cyrus Broacha (Karl, aaj aur Kal)

Qs. If you have to give one mantra for all software engineers, what will be it?

D.A: Don’t work so hard that you have waste your life in office to get a rating of 4 or 5 out of 5. Maintain a good balance between personal and professional life, be happy with a rating of 3 out of 5 and switch companies once in 2-3 years to get the necessary raise in salary! Life is not a race. Decide whether you were born to do only coding or something else in life. It’s always good to have a backup plan in life in case you get bored of the IT world one day!

Thank you very much for taking your time out for this interview. We wish that L.O.S.E.R emerges a winner among your readers.
DA: Thanks so much!

 

Grab your copy of LOSER at the Best Price from MySmartPrice.com. Click this link

Details about The Mine by Arnab Ray

Name of the Book: The Mine
Author :Arnab Ray
Price:Rs 127( as on March 01) For updated price check Price of The Mine
MRP:Rs 195

Review of The Mine by Arnab Ray

Arnab Ray or The Great bong as he is known in the blogging community has been popular for his work as a humorous writer and blogger through his famous blog greatbong.net. His first book May I Hebb Your Attention Pliss was a riproaring comedy, while The Mine takes you along a more darker journey. Expect ghastly images, ghostly memories and the resounding truth that your past shall always catch up with you.

When a secret government project/mining expedition somewhere in the heartland of Rajasthan runs into operational difficulties, 5 experts are called into make enquiries. Each told one part of the puzzle and each asked to enquire one aspect. But when the discoveries they make come together, they find themselves in the middle of a truly diabolical plot. Are they pawns in a military experiment, are they at the judging table of the Devil or are they simply dreaming up the punishments of their sins?

The Mine takes you through the arduous journey of 6 people who are fighting from the inevitable end to their lives of crime. Six individuals of high personal stature with a successful professional life and a deep, dark secret that they would rather not tell anyone else. They have lead their lives in glory and high prestige in the eyes of the world denying the sins they have committed but now their pasts have finally caught up with them. The Mine will test the virtue of Samar Bose, Dr Akshay More, Dr Preeti Singh, Dr Anjali Menon along with her little daughter Anya and Dr Karan Rathore and make them pay for their sins.

Arnab Ray takes you through a roller coaster ride with several plot twists and truly bone chilling visuals. The stories and the sins of each character may seem repulsive for the weak hearted but at no point do they seem unnatural or impossible. The book engages the reader right from its prologue to its rather shocking epilogue. The book makes for an exciting trip for the fresh readers into the world of Horror Stories.Our only difficulty with this book is the truly explicit use of gory images and use of strong language almost at intermittent intervals. While this book is definitely aimed at a mature reader , the use could definitely prevent some of the novice readers from being exposed to a wonderful concept. The characters in the book are well framed and one does empathize with a few for a while. In particular, a reader cannot help but root for the main protagonist Samar Bose. The book does take a fairly expansive look at the backgrounds of the individual characters without getting into boring lengths and the best part is the sheer possibilities hidden within each plot twist and scene. Reader can easily visualize the dark dingy corridors of The Mine. If you are one of the gamers, you may find this book to take you back to some popular games like Bioshock and Doom3. There is certainly something for everyone in this book.

To conlude this review of The Mine I would say, this is a definite must read for those brought up on a steady diet of Alfred Hitchcock and some of the modern Horror movies. I could see the potential of a great horror movie in the making with some very popular stars in the lead roles. The story of the 5 experts may reflect sins that even common men may commit in their lives, while there are no lessons to be learnt from this book as such, one does get the feeling the book leaves a lasting impression in our minds. The most important lesson being “The greatest evil lies deep inside.”

Details about The Secret of the Nagas

Name of the Book:The Secret of the Nagas

Author: Amish Tripathi

Price: Rs. 177 (as on June 01) For updated price check Price of The Secrets of the Nagas MRP: Rs. 295.0

Review of The Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi

This is a time for sequels for everything. Most authors strive to back a best seller with sequels, often beating the original concept to dust . But, The Secret of the Nagas totally took me by surprise. Though being a sequel it’s as refreshing as the first one. The book starts exactly where its predecessor left off making The Immortals of Meluha a prerequisite for this book. Amish Tripathi has to be credited for coming out with a novel idea through these books.

Unlike a hazy chap from the first book, Shiva is a now a confident man, happily married to Sati, living in a land where weed flourishes. The magnanimous characters feel familiar, like the ones we had heard in the bed time grandma’s stories. The Shiva in this book has shifted his focus on the Naga clan, responsible for the death of his friend Brahaspati. The Nagas are all humans with the physical deformities who have been abandoned by their family because the law demands Nagas be exiled. The mystery behind the Nagas takes him to the land of brangas and further deep in the Dandak forest. The race between good and evil is still on, the boundaries between them, however, have become very smudgy.

While I listen to Jagjit Singh songs, here is a list of awesome valentine’s day deals for the lucky few.

Yebhi



Yebhi has made a sweet deal for both the gents and ladies with a specialized section on Gifts for Him and Her. No need to sift through unnecessary deals to find your pick. Buy Shirts, watches or perfumes for your Man at discounts ranging from 3%- 50%. Sweep your dame off her feet with jewellery, Bags.

Koovs

Koovs is specializing in Valentine Hampers for this Valentine. Expect gorgeous jewellery , accessories and wonderful skin care products to be available at 20-40% discount.

Infibeam

Infibeam is offering massive discounts on cakes, chocolates and everything nice for NRIs. Now send gifts to your Valentine in India. Expect massive discounts on romantic music, videos too.

LetsBuy

Letsbuy is offering massive discounts for all your gadgets and toys this valentine.

Buy a stuffed Teddy bear for 34% off or watches at 15% off, if you love that special someone  a little more you may want to avail the massive discounts of 20-40% on Smartphones, Cameras and  DVD players

Flipkart

Flipkart is offering its customers a selection of combo packs of Romantic Books this Valentines. Expect massive discounts on all your romantic books from P.S I love you, A walk to remember  to classics like Gone with the Wind. Not just that, Flipkart has gone one step further and made some really good romantic music collections available at discount too.

Now that I’ve found a great Deal, All I need is a good Valentine…

In the mean time I’m reading the Top Romantic Books to woo that special Valentine.

This week finally we have added coupons section on MySmartPrice. Now you will not have to do anything extra to find out yebhi coupons for those cases where it is the best priced store. We shall provide the coupon code to you on MySmartPrice itself.

This is just our first attempt at providing you a better way to find coupons for all popular e-commerce stores. Currently we have coupons for 12 stores including few stores that are already present on MySmartPrice like infibeam,homeshop18,koovs etc and few stores that are not present like firstcry,babyoye,timtara etc.

A lot of work is still pending to be done. We promise to improve the coupons section both in breadth and depth as we start to understand the segment better. In the mean time please try the MySmartPrice Coupons section and let us know your views/ feedback.

1. The Galaxy S2 is one of the few handsets available in the market with Dual Core processor. This and the 1 GB RAM allows the handset to run fast and complex games much better almost at the level of PCs. That makes it an awesome phone for hardcore gamers.
2. The samsung Galaxy S2 is only 8 mm thin, which makes it one of the thinnest handsets available in the market. It is even thinner that the iPhone 4S which was released several months after the release of galaxy S2. Weighing only 116 gm, the Galaxy S2 is exceptionally light as well.
3. It has  a 4.3″ super AMOLED touch screen.
4. At 18.3 hours, the phone provides one of the best talk time amongst the high end phones.
5. considering all the features of the phone, the price tag does not look all that high.

Highlights of the study

1. Bangalore is the hottest city but it has some strong competition from Mumbai and Delhi. Tweet
2. Hyderabad lagged behind Pune and Chennai Tweet
3. PHP is the most popular skill among startups. Tweet
4. We were surprised to see Java beat out other more popular languages like Python and RoR. Tweet
5. In other skills, mobile development and sales roles beat out demand for Social media or SEO professionals. Tweet

If you think the study can be done in a better manner or if you can find some mistake in our data then you are the guy we have been looking for. Please get in touch at sitakanta[@]mysmartprice.com for more details.

We have partnered with SMSGyaan, a sms search engine, to provide the pricing information through sms as well. If you ever need the best price of any mobile phone then simply send a SMS to 55444 as “price <mobile name>”. We will respond back with the current best price and important specification of the phone. The service will cost you Rs.1.00 per sms.

Please give it a try and let us know improvement ideas.