Singapore is full of surprises. The technology usage never fails to amaze me. It is such a joy to find people using technology in their everyday lives.

I got a courier from home. I required some documents from home which I got couriered.

What would you expect when some postman or courier guy comes to you to deliver a package or document? As for me, I grew up having the postman come with a register for the signature to confirm that I had received the document or package. In case of the courier it was a signature sometimes identifying yourself with your passport or pan card.

The courier guy who delivered my package here asked me if I was the said person, on affirmation the guy comes up with an touch Ipad and types in the consignment number on the form in the Ipad and asks me to sign for it with the pen on the screen then types in my name.

It was amazing !!!!

I have had my stint at working in a courier company for a period of time. So I can tell you that there is a whole lot of cost in just printing these consignment notes not to mention training otc’s to fill them and then entering them in registers all of it in triplicate and some times even more in case of franchisees and errors where the whole triplicates go to the bins. This is truly a welcome change. The form was very simple and user friendly and tranfering that to computer eventually will reduce so much wastage of valuable paper not to mention labour and time.

Think of the amount of trees we will save from cutting……… and so easy to meet the deadlines.

I took a taxi from Farrer Road to Clementi. I usually travel by MRT which is an easier and faster not to mention a cheaper option but that day my legs were giving me too much trouble. The pain was unbearable. So I took a taxi home. Back home you had to give directions to the taxi driver who probably did not know your part of the city. The taxi driver here just asked me the address fed it into his GPS system and drove. The GPS system was like a car race game. It also told him when to change lanes. Very user friendly.

It is so nice to see the use of technology in the more basic things in life. Technology is after all supposed to make your life simpler. In India it is restricted to offices and the elite and for purposes of entertainment. The GPS system is installed in all taxis here and all the drivers here use them not only to bid for rides but also to show directions and traffic hold ups. Inspite of the haze because of the pain I was so glad not to have to worry about giving directions.

I wonder what taxiwalas in Mumbai would say to this???? I recently heard a story where they charged an American 1200 Rupees for a trip when the meter said 1-2-0-0, not to mention the times they take us round and round and round the same place just to earn the extra buck.