Personally Tech With Publisher and Author Amrita Chowdhury

In our weekly column Personally Tech we talk to people from all walks of life to learn about the apps and gadgets that they love and can't live without. Technology has changed the way we all live and work, in myriad ways.

This week, we got to talk to Amrita Chowdhury, the Country Head and Publishing Director at Harlequin India, a publisher that focuses on romance novels. Chowdhury - an alumnus of IIT-Kanpur whose website says she holds seven US patents for semi-conductor fabrication - is also the author of upcoming cyber-crime novel Breach, published by Hachette India.

Her first novel, Faking It - a book about art forgers - was published in 2009. While her company's books are typically compared to Mills and Boons, her upcoming book mixes together patent law, piracy, and hacking. So we were definitely curious to know whether she's a techie or not. Her answers to our questions made that quite clear. Read on to know more about the apps and gadgets that Chowdhury loves and relies on.

1. Describe your technology setup - what computer/ phone/ tablet/ camera/ gaming console/ other gadgets do you use?
Amrita Chowdhury: I couldn't function without technology - I use gadgets to work, communicate, take photos, access information and much more. At work, I use a Sony Vaio E Series laptop. But at home, I love my large screen iMac for personal work, storing photos, creating video shorts etc. I use a Nikon D810 to take photos and videos. I am still loyal to my Blackberry 9360 for work, but increasingly use Samsung GT-N7100 for emails, social networking, news on the go, photos and more. I use an iPad Air for reading.

2. What are three apps (mobile/ tablet or PC/ Mac) you couldn't live without?
Amrita Chowdhury: I have to stay connected to the news of the day, so I have to use social media apps - Facebook and Twitter - to remain connected and to express my views.

I also love Flipboard - a news app, for accessing news about the world, politics, business, technology, art, design and more. The app I'm loving the most now is the game Breach because I designed it along with ThinkWhyNot. It can be played on your computer or mobile browser, after connecting via Facebook.

It is a scavenger hunt/ quiz and conceptualised as an extension to my book Breach. It brings readers and gamers into the world of the key characters from my book, cyber-crime trivia from around the world. Even after the book launches, the game will still be available for people to play and engage with the book and its characters.

3. What is the one gadget (other than your phone) you never travel without?
Amrita Chowdhury: I have to read a lot on work and we spend a lot of time in India in the car on the road. So I carry my iPad with me and download manuscripts, documents and spreadsheets so that I can work on the go.

4. What is your dream gadget/ technology setup?
Amrita Chowdhury: For me, the most important thing is connectivity. A fast Internet connection is an absolute must. Otherwise, I don't really need much by way of gadgets. Although... much as I like my current laptop, I want to go back to using a Macbook Air (which I had earlier).

5. How has technology changed the way in which you work?
Amrita Chowdhury: Technology is an enabler today. Working with global teams, we completely rely on email, Skype, telecom operator-led call bridges, and online tools such as TeamViewer to connect and interact. Our business couldn't be managed without spreadsheets, accounting software, and custom-built CRM tools. Documents are shared using emails or Dropbox, and read on laptops and computers. Design, edits, and all creative processes are managed by tech tools.

Photos are bought from online databases. Secured web-based servers allow us to access all this data on our mobile devices so that we can be 'connected' and 'engaged' anytime and anywhere. That is the biggest difference from a decade ago when work stopped after hours. Today, work is 24/7 and it merges into life. So if there is no congruence between work life and social life, between profession and play, all enabled by technology, then it is difficult to succeed.