Personally Tech With Xerox South Asia Executive Director Vishal Awal

In this weekly column we look at the apps and gadgets that people from different walks of life rely upon. We talk to business leaders and other newsmakers to see what they use every day.

This week, we talked to Vishal Awal, Executive Director, Xerox South Asia. Awal is in charge of Xerox Services, one of the biggest BPO companies that works with industries in energy, healthcare, financial services, transportation and more.

Awal says he dreams of a fully paperless world where machines are completely networked.

1. Describe your technology setup - what computer/ phone/ tablet/ camera/ gaming console/ other gadgets do you use?

Vishal Awal: I have two Windows laptops - one for work and one for personal use. Also an iPad Air, along with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 and a Samsung Galaxy Note 3. I also have an Xbox One in the house.

2. What are three apps (mobile/ tablet or PC/ Mac) you couldn't live without?

Vishal Awal: Google Maps is useful for travel, Line for keeping in touch, and Candy Crush Saga passes time.

3. What is the one gadget (other than your phone) you never travel without?

Vishal Awal: My iPad Air and my Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1.

4. What is your dream gadget/ technology setup?

Vishal Awal: Machine-to-machine communication with interconnected smart devices/ gadgets seamlessly communicating with one another. There would be no need for physical documents anywhere since a fully digitised document set-up makes it possible to access and submit validated documents for virtually any purpose in life.

5. How has technology changed the way in which you work?

Vishal Awal: It has impacted life both in positive and negative manner. Positives include significantly enhanced productivity due to seamless, instant and on-demand information access, enhanced automation and digitisation and the reducing possibility of human induced errors. Negatives include a 24x7 always-on, always-connected world. Our social networks become virtual instead, and privacy is also disappearing.

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