While I’m struggling to write an intro for the article, two of my colleagues are having the time of their life. We have been playing games for ages, as it has always been a favourite pastime of human beings. Now, tell me, from where do we learn the tactics to combat crisis-like situations? Of course, through the games, they prepare our minds on how to tackle real-life problems, block our fears, and, most importantly, how to have a winning attitude.
Since smartphone gaming came into existence, the amount of time spent playing video games has increased drastically. I’ve often heard the management scolding the employees cause they were playing games, but the management should understand one critical factor of playing games – gaming in the workplace help us create social bonds and make learning more engaging. Also, it profoundly evokes multiple areas of their brains and develops coping mechanisms for difficult situations.
When someone indulges themselves completely in the game, their brain releases dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter. Being a gamer helps you to get your mind going, as gaming involves a lot of thinking and decision-making. When you’re playing a game like PUBG, where 100s of players are involved at one time, you have to think on a different tangent, strategize, and analyze quickly, otherwise, you won’t have a chance to shout out loud, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.
Gaming is just a software form of life, where for a specific time, we live in a world of uncertainty and fight for our goals. When you win the game, it brings a lot of satisfaction and helps you have better mental health, and having a happy-satisfied employee is quite rare in current times. Allow the gamers to play their favourite games for at least half an hour a day, and they’ll do wonders in their assigned work, as getting a specific gaming hour during work is already a win-win situation for them.
The leaders and managers don’t realize that a dopamine boost in your employees’ brains only benefits the company, as gaming in the workplace eventually increases productivity. Just think of a scenario, what your mind asks for after lunch? A quick nap, right? Well, when you work for 3-4 hours, it’s obvious you’ll become tired by noon, and it needs instant energy. At such times, a quick game sounds good over a nap. So, let it be, allow your employees to play games, and you’ll soon witness magic in their work.
Being born in the 90s has its perks. We’ve lived happily in a time of no mobile phones or huge desktops and witnessed the evolution of smartphones or slim laptops throughout our teenage years. Thankfully, we’re probably the last generation who spend more time playing outside than inside, but we’re also the first ones who played video games, which makes us guileless culprits.
Super Mario Bros.
As adults, we can go through every difficulty to save our beloved person, but where do we learn these tactics for dealing with the complications? Of course, from our favourite Italian-American plumber Mario, who goes through every level dealing with different enemies on the way, only to save his princess. Thanks to Mario and his fraternal twin brother Luigi, who helped every sibling to have a happening childhood.
Contra
I’ve seen siblings fighting over while playing Super Mario Bros, but I’ve seen the same siblings teaming over while playing Contra, and the reason, you know it. Set in the 27th century, the game was a story about two soldiers named Bill Rizer and Lance Bea going to war against the alien invaders seeking to destroy the Earth. The series debuted in February 1987 and had a lot of young fans during its peak.
Virtua Cop 2
I remember the day I bought my first computer and eagerly awaited to install Virtua Cop 2, one of my favourite games to date. The game features three levels where you’ve to kill many opponents of the E.V.I.L. Inc. organisation without taking hits or shooting hostages (who react in a hilarious way). Every level ends with a boss battle and one extra final boss battle. Those were the days!
Duck Hunt
The shooter game was quite trendy in India during the mid-2000s, and kids used to fake cry in front of their parents only to have a Duck Hunt cassette in their homes. The video game was developed and published by Nintendo for the first time in 1984, and it was one of the first video games that came with a physical gun called – the NES Zapper to help you shoot ducks that appear on the screen.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, or, in short, GTA: Vice City, is the game that influenced school kids to bunk school and brought them to the nearest cyber cafes. The fourth main entry in the GTA series was an adventure ride set in 1986 within the fictional Vice City and follows the rise to power journey of the mobster Tommy Vercetti. Thanks to the cheat codes, which always came in handy whenever we were in trouble.
Cricket 07
Back then, the craze of cricket was not limited to the T20s. When we were kids, we played cricket outdoors and indoors, thanks to EA Sports, who developed and published the game. The game was massively popular among the cricket-playing nations as it offered many spectacular features like creating a new player with attributes, limited overs matches (50, 20, 10 or 5 overs), 4-day first-class matches and full-length test matches.
Road Rash
Born in the 90s and haven’t played Road Rash yet? Only a fool will fall into the trap of your words. Road Rash was one of the best motorcycle racing video games of the 20th century as the game offers to punch, kick and steal weapons while racing and how could you forget the epic battle between racer and patrol police? The last game of the series was released in 2009, Road Rash (Java), and with that, the epic racing journey halted for good.
Project IGI – I’m Going In
Nowadays, every kid is obsessed with PUBg, but back then, it was Project IGI. The tactical first-person shooter video game was popular among teenagers but received mixed reviews from critics due to poorly programmed A.I. and the lack of multiplayer features. The game was loved by the players for its sound design and graphics, thanks to the game engine software.
We call them grandparents cause they have the power to say “yes” even when our parents say “no”. When everyone was worried about what to do and how to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, there were some carefree grandparents who neglected the crisis and focused on learning and playing video games. You won’t believe it, but these guys, especially the ones in the 55-64 age group, have broken some records and emerged as the fastest-growing demographic of gamers.
Being a guy who prefers public transportation to commute, I’ve seen a lot of drama happening around, especially in the local trains of Mumbai. One day, I was commuting from Dadar to Mulund, and then at one station, a guy in his 60s boarded the train and sat next to me. He laid back in his seat and started playing Call of Duty instead of opening the newspaper like regular older people. I was amazed, what a GRAND moment it was, unbelievable!
Another day, while chilling out with friends at the park, I met another old guy who later joined some of my friends in PUBG, and to my surprise, he celebrated his win by saying ‘Winner Winner Chicken Dinner’. The 63-year-old guy was a retired police officer and alone mostly in life as all the family members were working. He told us he got to know about the online gaming world through his grandson during the pandemic and has never looked back.
While playing online games such as PUBG for about 20-25 hours a week, he met some of the coolest and nicest guys, and over the period, they’ve become his friends, even though he hasn’t met them in person. Thanks to online gaming, the veteran officer is now a member of a few WhatsApp and Telegram groups, where they discuss games, life, and many things which I’m not allowed to reveal here. In many ways, playing games with youngsters helps older adults to stay updated with the time.
You must have at least one elderly member in your family or extended family who likes to play Candy Crush, Solitaire, Angry Birds, Ludo, Subway Surfer, Carrom, or Sudoku. Back then, in the late 90s, these guys were fans of games like Snake and Bounce. The elders love playing these games as they are simple, easy to learn, don’t require too much effort, and offer a temporary escape from reality. Thanks to supportive grandchildren who help these grand-people understand the gaming world better.
The Benefits of Gaming:
Due to safety concerns, not all senior citizens are allowed to walk out of their homes, making their lives pretty sedentary. They miss going for a walk, meeting friends for lunch, and many other things which improve their emotional and mental health. According to several studies, seniors who play video games regularly or occasionally have greater well-being and social functioning than non-gamers. Being a regular gamer also helps to fight loneliness and depression.
Video games significantly impact their emotional, physical and cognitive quotient. The global percentage of people with Alzheimer’s dementia is about 11%, which means 1 in 9 people above the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s disease. When older people play video games, it helps them have an active memory, along with mental flexibility and multi-tasking, as gaming involves a lot of brain-related tasks assisting senior citizens in decreasing their Alzheimer’s risk factors.
Lastly, who doesn’t like to have fun in life? We all need a little enjoyment in life, and talking about senior people – they have spent many years working hard without thinking twice about their wishes. They are desperately in need of a break from mundane life. So, before your grandparents forget who you are, introduce them to the gaming world, and once they get attached to the video games, no one’s gonna stop them cause no one has the guts to say “no” to them.
Do you remember those days when people used to get obsessed with Airpods, and everyone dreamt of having one of them? The expensive gadget ruled for a couple of years, and then we were introduced to budget-friendly TWS earbuds from several other companies. Being one of the pioneer tech companies in the world, OnePlus has won our hearts already with their phones, and now they’re serving our ears with their TWS earbuds.
I’ve been using OnePlus Nord Buds for the last few months, and I don’t have any complaints regarding the product. The Nord Buds are currently priced at ₹2,799, and honestly, they are nothing less than pocket dynamite. The Nord Buds were a massive success for OnePlus, and to gain more advantage of the hype, the company recently launched Nord Buds CE, a more budget-friendly option from the Core Edition lineup.
OnePlus Nord Buds CE – Quick Details
Price – ₹2,299*
Weight – 3.5 gms each
Bluetooth version – 5.2
Sound pressure level – 128dB/mW
Available Colors – Misty Grey & Moonlight White
The newly launched OnePlus Nord Buds CE are the cheapest TWS earbuds yet launched by the company. They are priced at ₹2,299, but they are only available for sale in India. I’ve been using them for the last few weeks alternately with their old sibling OnePlus Nord Buds, and I’ve observed the little brother has very few features to offer. Let’s see whether they’re worth buying or not!
Design
The Nord Buds CE arrives in compact cardboard packaging, and the earbuds hidden in a case have a classic earbud-style design, almost reminiscent of the Apple AirPods. The earbuds and their relatively small oval-shaped charging case are made of plastic but appear premium. The long stalks of the earbuds do not support in-ear detection for automatic play/pause, but they do have a capacitive touch surface to control the happenings.
Comfort
The comfort of the earbuds totally varies from person to person and the shape of your ears but out of all my colleagues who tried Nord Buds CE, most of them were not happy with the comfort it offers. Compared to the Nord Buds, they’re lighter, but they don’t provide a fairly secure in-ear grip and the fear of losing them while walking down a busy road haunts you throughout the walk. No wonder the classic-shaped earbuds are out of fashion.
Software
The features of the Nord Buds CE are directly accessible on OnePlus Phones, while for other devices, you have to download an app called, HeyMelody. Being a native product, Nord Buds CE is a failure, as the options to change the settings of the earbuds are planted far too deep within the Bluetooth settings of the OnePlus phones. The HeyMelody app makes the journey easy for people with phones other than OnePlus.
Sound Quality
I would say, listening to the music on the Nord Buds CE is a pain in the rear situation due to its open-back design. When you’re in a quiet place, they’re satisfactory, but once you enter a place full of blusters, the surrounding noise will creep in, and you’ll have to increase the volume up to 80% for better listening. The overall sound quality of the Nord Buds CE is above average but not the best in the segment.
Battery & Charging
With the 27 mAh battery capacity per earbud and the 300 mAh capacity charging case, the Nord Buds CE is said to offer continuous playback for up to 4.5 hours, and along with the charging case, the number goes up to 20 hours. In my testing, they lasted above the official playback time, but it isn’t outstanding as the earbuds don’t have features like ANC. The flash charge feature takes 15 minutes to charge the buds up to 60%.
Verdict
The Nord Buds lose the game mostly due to their semi-in-ear design and elder sibling, which offers many features. They’re one of the best-sounding earbuds in the price segment but definitely not a top choice as similarly priced Realme Buds Air 3 Neo provides up to 7 hours of continuous playback and 30 hours of total endurance with the case. I would suggest spending a few more bucks and getting OnePlus Nord Buds, a fair deal.
Two film series will always have a place in our hearts – Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings as most of us grew up from kids to teenagers while watching these two. The fantasy television series is based on the novel ‘The Lord of the Rings and its appendices’ by English Writer J. R. R. Tolkien. The forthcoming series is set thousands of years before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Indian Predator: The Diary of a Serial Killer
Release Date – 7th September (Netflix)
We were lucky enough to watch the most bone-chilling and blood-curdling true crime story of the cold-blooded murderer of Delhi on our screens and not in real life. After the successful first edition of the Indian Predator series featuring The Butcher of Delhi, released on 20th July, Netflix is back again with another bizarre documentary- Indian Predator: The Diary of a Serial Killer.
Brahmastra
Release Date – 9th September (in Theatres)
Directed by – Ayan Mukerji
Being made on a massive budget of over Rs 300 crore, Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva is one of the most awaited Bollywood releases of 2022. The movie is the first instalment of the trilogy and part of India’s first original universe – Astraverse. Helmed by Ayan Mukerji, the film stars the real-life couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna, and Mouni Roy.
Siya
Release Date – 16th September (in Theatres)
Directed by – Manish Mundra
The movie is a heart-wrenching story of a small-town girl who decides to fight for justice against all the odds. The trailer of the film appears to be promising as it didn’t unveil too much, unlike the trailers of most movies we’ve seen lately, and the acting of both the lead characters is spot on. The directorial debut of Manish Mundra stars Pooja Pandey and Vineet Kumar Singh in the lead.
Jogi
Release Date – 16th September (Netflix)
Directed by – Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring Daljit Dosanjh in the lead, Jogi is an emotional roller-coaster ride set in 1984 Delhi, which depicts the story of friendship and courage in times of misfortune. The movie also stars Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Kumund Mishra, Hiten Tejwani and Amyra Dastur. The gripping tale of bravery, hope and everything in between is directed by celebrated director Ali Abbas Zafar.
Babli Bouncer
Release Date – 23rd September (Disney+ Hotstar)
Directed by – Madhur Bhandarkar
When was the last time you saw Tamannah acting in Hindi Cinema and a movie directed by legendary director Madhur Bhandarkar? Perhaps you must have forgotten their last released Hindi films. The actress and the filmmaker are coming together for the first time to entertain the audience with their upcoming release, Babli Bouncer, which will be released simultaneously in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Avatar
Release Date – 23rd September (in Theatres)
Directed by – James Cameron
When they released Avatar in 2009 – we witnessed one of the well-made movies of the 21st century. However, for some reason, if you’ve missed watching it in the theatres, then you’ve got a chance to see the magic of Avatar on the big screen. The makers are re-releasing the iconic film in Indian theatres ahead of its highly anticipated sequel release.
Blonde
Release Date – 28th September (Netflix)
Directed by – Andrew Dominik
Ana De Armas is coming to prove everyone wrong who said, “no one can play the role of Marilyn on-screen better than Marilyn herself,” and to show the world how Marilyn was only watched by the world but seen by none with her upcoming Netflix flick ‘Blonde’. The movie depicts how the Hollywood sex symbol struggled in her flourishing life and what she had to face on the way.
Vikram Vedha (Hindi)
Release Date – 30th September (in Theatres)
Directed by – Pushkar–Gayathri
What happens when two of the most-anticipated and loved actors work together? We get to see a classic movie like Vikram Vedha, which starred R. Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi. However, when it was released in 2017, most of us were unaware of what was happening down south. And to show the magic of Vikram Vedha again, the makers are all set to release the remake of it in Hindi, which stars Saif Ali Khan And Hrithik Roshan in the lead.
Don’t Worry Darling
Release Date – 30th September (in Theatres)
Directed by – Olivia Wilde
The pop sensation Harry Styles released his much-awaited album “Harry’s Home” a few months ago, and now the singer-turned-actor is all set to thrill us with his acting skills through his upcoming release “Don’t Worry Darling”. Along with Harry Styles, the psychological thriller stars Florence Pugh, Gemma Chan, Olivia Wilde, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, and Chris Pine.
Hello, social animals! Welcome to the most insecure century. Naah, I ain’t gonna apologize for my words cause I’ve edited pretty much before going ahead with the current intro. We’re living in a time where everybody wants to be on top. Ask anyone from the current generation how’s their life going, and they would proudly answer – Going good, I’m working very hard to get what I want in my life.
Okay, kiddo, happy dreaming, but even superheroes struggle to get what they want and sometimes prefer to sacrifice instead of being ARIES, one of the most stubborn signs of the lot. We all know that our favourite LinkedIn app is no more an app that provides job opportunities to job-seekers since some of the marketing guys have turned it into a motivational quote’wala app.
Hope, you’ve seen a few quotes on the app this morning. If you haven’t, here’s one fo’ you.
“Elon Musk works 80 to 90 hours a week, has 6 companies and is only 50.
Stop making excuses, and get the hell on with it.”
No doubt, the guy is a genius, and in future, he will accomplish more peaks, but we can’t ignore the fact that he sucks at delegating his work. Now, the inner entrepreneur in you will say that to achieve big things, you must work hard and go through hell. Well, following the schedule of 80 to 90 hours of work a week, what’s left for you? You’re already living in hell, bro.
The people who are currently above the age of 40 think HARD WORK is the key to everything. While the young generation, who are currently in their 20s/30s, think HARD WORK DONE SMARTLY will take them to the moon as it increases their productivity. However, in reality, to become productive, you must learn to combine hard work with exercise, proper sleep, time off, and healthy eating habits.
I’ve seen people who spend over 15+ hours working (thanks to the eye-opening quotes) and then brag about it on social media platforms with captions like “Let’s make money baby, we can fall in love later”, of course, followed by #hustle. Honestly, that’s terrifying, and that’s not how you should live your life. Think about your health, and stop grazing as soon as possible.
I don’t know why most of us like to graze almost 24/7 like a cow instead of working like a lion, which means being completely involved in the zone and working with zero distractions. When you completely invest yourself in work for about 3-5 hours a day, you don’t get exhausted and anxious, but when you graze for 10+ hours, you know what happens to you?
Someone on social media posted a quote, “Keep Hustling,” and like a dumb ass, most of us started following the rituals such as waking up, having a coffee, rushing to work and then working like a dog till we got the work done. Sometimes, we even skip meals, work after the end of our regular shift hours (only to impress the boss and be in the competition) and work on weekends to meet deadlines.
We are a generation of workaholics, except for a few traitors like me and some of my colleagues who don’t indulge themselves in a hustle culture. Today, most people we work with spend additional hours at the job, are obsessed over success, relentlessly sprinkle positivity, and glorify their lifestyle by saying we’re busy. Ask them when they’re in the loo, and they’ll answer back, “I’m working”.
Really? Don’t you have a life outside work?
Back then, when our forefathers were young, they believed in camping, meditating, trekking, fishing, etc., only to defocus themselves from the mundane work culture and gain their focus back. They were a firm believer in putting their life and family before anything. I’m telling you, taking a pause from the mundane routine always helps you to develop innovative ideas.
The young generation questions the motive behind relaxation and considers leisure an urban legend. They believe and follow an always-on ideology in the name of workload, which is damn exhausting. Besides working for additional hours, they subconsciously spend a huge amount of time thinking and worrying about the work.
Nowadays, many people work for the sake of working and earning money. They don’t have any purpose behind their work, and that’s why many of us aren’t satisfied with our careers. Some people will happily say yes to work till death if someone offers them a great package without even giving a second thought to their health and happiness.
Sometimes, even a guy like me who doesn’t even follow the hustle culture feels like I’m burnt out. You know where we went wrong? When we decide to follow our ego instead of our brains and hearts. You still have time, don’t fall into the trap of hustle culture cause with that, you’re only pushing yourself away from a healthy work-life balance. Next time, before saying yes, think twice about yourself. Ciao.
Yesterday was a day full of events involving two of the most important cities in Asia. About the second one, we all know cause it was a cricket match between India vs Pakistan, a cricket rivalry which is one of the most intense sports rivalries in the world but do you know about the second one? The demolition of the Twin Towers!
Naah, we’re not talking about the US-based Twin Towers that were struck by two hijacked commercial airliners during the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The Twin Towers we’re discussing here were part of Supertech’s Emerald Court project at Noida Expressway. The demolished towers, Apex and Ceyane, were nearly 100-metre-tall, taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar.
The Reason
When the original plan for the Supertech Emerald Court housing society was sanctioned, they were allowed to construct 14 towers of nine floors. Later, in 2006, the builder increased the land area to 54,819.51 sq metres and added two new towers, which were built by the builder illegally without taking the consent of the individual flat owners.
In 2012, the Noida authority reviewed the plan, and the builder was allowed to build 40 floors in each tower, violating the minimum distance requirement norms. After several petitions by the homebuyers in 2014, the Supreme Court directed the authority to demolish the towers within four months at its own expense.
The Demolition
The decade-long battle ended when the builder demolished the tower at 2:30 PM, and the skyline of Noida changed in just 9 seconds. Yes, the explosives took just 9 seconds to topple the illegally constructed Twin Tower. The spectacle demolition was performed by Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering along with South African firm Jet Demolitions.
The decade-long battle ended when the builder demolished the tower at 2:30 PM, and the skyline of Noida changed in just 9 seconds. Yes, the explosives took just 9 seconds to topple the illegally constructed Twin Tower. The spectacle demolition was performed by Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering along with South African firm Jet Demolitions.
The Power of Explosives
The process of demolition of such a high-intensity process called implosion, while the explosives used to destroy the buildings were equivalent to three missiles of the Agni-V, twelve missiles of the BrahMos, or four Prithvi missiles. The controlled explosion, which used 3700 kilograms of explosives, forced a building to collapse into itself. Take a look at the explosives involved in the operation:
Emulsions
Dynamites
Shock tubes
RDX (Cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine)
Gel and powder formed explosive material
The explosives were set into the building via 9,640 holes, measuring 2.634 millimetres. The demolition took place after several government agencies allowed and permitted the operation. In the end, the blasters lighted one end of the cord and created history as it was one of the most extensive demolitions in our country.
Every year, the month of September arrives with an Apple event, as it is when most schools go into a session, and it is the prime time for many buyers. Apple will hold its first fall event on September 7th, at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple’s Cupertino campus, and it would be the first major indoor product launch event since the pandemic. The event will also be aired on the Apple website and the Apple TV app.
The “Far out” event will be aired on the Apple website and the Apple TV app at 10:30 PM (IST). The invitation sent out to journalists features the company logo, where stars from space form the shape of the Apple logo. The Cupertino-based company is highly expected to launch the next lineup of Apple iPhones – iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, along with Apple Watch Series 8, AirPods Pro 2 and more.
Yes, you’ve read it right, the company has no plans to launch iPhone 14 Mini. Instead, they’re introducing us to the new model – iPhone 14 Max. According to trusted sources, the company will skip the infamous notch and come up with a new design featuring a hole-punch selfie camera and a pill-shaped cutout for Face ID. Also, for the Pro models, the company will add an always-on mode for the display.
Along with the always-on mode for the Pro models, the company might make its next A-series chip a Pro-only choice. As for the cameras, the pro models might feature a 48-MP primary camera, and all four models of the iPhone 14 series will feature an autofocus-enabled front-facing camera. Besides iPhone 14 lineup, the company is also planning to launch a new MacBook Pro and iPad.
We’re living in times where we rarely spot someone without a smartphone, smartwatch or fitness tracker, as they’ve become essential gadgets which exploit our lifestyle. Every year, we witness hundreds of launches, which makes our selection journey far-flung and confusing as f**k. To ensure you don’t get trapped in a world of choices, we’ve tested dozens over the past few months to bring you the 7 best smartwatches and fitness trackers.
Why do you need a smartwatch or fitness tracker?
Do you care to know about your heart rate, sleep cycle, daily activities and overall fitness level? If yes, you should get one of these following smartwatches or fitness trackers. Smartwatches and fitness trackers offer almost everything about your health right from your wrist. Over the last few years, the two devices have converged as smartwatches are getting more inclined toward the fitness side while fitness trackers adopted big screens.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch series is the only watch line that has the guts and power to beat Apple watches. When it comes to the design, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic looks very similar to its cousin Galaxy Watch 4. The device has a circular face with flat edges and offers beyond the premium user experience. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic runs on Samsung’s One UI Watch 3 platform on top of the Wear OS 3 operating system.
The smartwatch comes in two different size case options, 42mm and 44mm. The 42mm model has a 1.19-inch Super AMOLED display, while the 44mm model has a 1.4-inch display. In terms of screen protection, the watch features Corning Gorilla Glass DX, and in terms of memory, the watch is supported by 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic works best when you pair it up with the Galaxy smartphone.
Apple Watch Series 7
The name Apple Watch is enough to prove it is the best in the market, at least for the people who own iPhones. The screen size of the Apple Watch 7 is 20% bigger than the Apple Watch 6, but the company hasn’t changed the Apple Watch’s display borders in the last couple of years. The watch runs on watchOS 8, and has a full keyboard for typing out messages. The watch looks fantastic on the wrist and lasts up to two days.
The latest Apple Watch from the Cupertino-based company features about 40% thinner bezels and fast charging support which is 33% quicker than before. The watch also gets an enhanced cycling mode along with the meditation app. Overall, the Apple Watch 7 seems like a good buy, but we recommend buying an Apple Watch 6 as it is reasonably priced or waiting for a few more months to get a brand new Apple Watch 8.
Fitbit Sense
Fitbit Sense is often hailed as the best fitness tracking smartwatch as it offers more advanced health and wellness features than the Versa line. The Fitbit Sense smartwatch is both iOS-compatible and one of the best smartwatches for Android. The watch comes in one size – 40.5mm and a display size of 1.58-inch, 336 x 336 pixels. The Fitbit smartwatch is available in three colours – Silver, Graphite, Gray and offers a very good battery life of 6 days.
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro is one of the most pocket-friendly yet decent smartwatches. The watch offers plenty of smart features, a 1.45-inch HD AMOLED display, BioTracker PPG 3.0 Biometric Sensor, good battery life and upright fitness tracking capabilities. The build quality of the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro is not so impressive but is still up to the mark. The smartwatch offers a pretty good battery as it lasts for 12-days straight. All in all, the AMazfit GTR 3 Pro watch is an affordable option if you’re looking for a budget smartwatch with a well-known brand.
Fossil Gen 5
Undoubtedly, Fossil watches are one of the best Wear OS smartwatches in the current market as they have a classic design and get the job done unless you expect a marvel from them. The 12mm thick and 44mm wide Fossil Gen 5 smartwatch features a 1.28in AMOLED screen, which is bright enough to show whatever you’re looking for while in the sunlight. The watch runs on a Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor and is backed by 1GB of RAM.
When was the last time you looked up to check the time? Perhaps, when your mom asked you to check the time while you were busy watching comic fights between two lifelong enemies, Tom and Jerry. Good old days, huh? Now, come back fast to the present and think again.
Nowadays, we don’t look up to check the time as we have smartwatches, fitness trackers, laptops, smartphones and many more gadgets which show the time but back in the 19th century, everyone couldn’t afford to own a wristwatch and clock towers were the only option to check the time.
Big Ben, London, England – 1858
Big Ben, AKA Clock Tower, is situated in London, England, famous for its accuracy and massive bell. The tower was renamed Elizabeth tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The construction of the British cultural icon was completed in 1858, and currently, it is the 22nd tallest clock tower in the world.
The Clock tower is a British cultural icon, and only British citizens are allowed to enter the building. The 316 feet (96.3 m) tall tower is designed in Pugin’s Gothic Revival style, and its dials are 180 feet (54.9 m) above ground level. The tower adds beauty to the skyline and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
Makkah Royal Clock Tower, Mecca, Saudi Arabia – 2012
At the height of 601 m (1,972 ft), the Makkah Clock Royal Tower is the fourth-tallest building and the sixth-tallest freestanding structure in the world. The clock tower is a part of an Abrāj al-Bayt, a government-owned complex of seven skyscraper hotels in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The complex was constructed and completed in 2012 by the Saudi Binladin Group. The Abrāj al-Bayt complex is just a block away from the world’s largest mosque, the Great Mosque of Mecca. Currently, it is the world’s second most expensive building and has the tallest clock tower in the world.
Saint Mark’s Clock Tower, Venice, Italy – 1493
The culture, style of art and architecture developed during the Renaissance (during the 15th to 16th century) can’t be ignored even after 500+ years. The architectural masterpiece of 15th-century engineering, the St. Mark’s Clock Tower or Torre dell’Orologio, was designed by Maurizio Codussi and commissioned in 1493.
The clock tower is topped by two noteworthy bronze figures (the moors), which strike the hours on a bell. The clock on the building not only displays the time but also shows the dominant sign of the Zodiac and the phases of the moon. The clock tower was restored several times, including major renovations in 1752, 1857, and 1996.
Rajabai Tower, Mumbai, India – 1878
British may have ruled our country brutally and maltreated us, but they have left a few incredible architectural marvels in the country, which we’re no doubt proud of. Rajabai Tower is one such marvel constructed in the British era, which is situated on the Fort campus of the University of Mumbai.
The clock tower, which stands at the height of 85 m (280 ft), is designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The tower was completed in 1878 and has a similar model to the Big Ben Clock Tower of London. It was named after broker Premchand Roychand’s mother, Rajabai, as he donated a large portion of the construction cost.
Peace Tower, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada – 1920
The peace tower of Ottawa was dedicated to remembering the sacrifice and service of Canadians in the First World War. The clock tower, formerly known as the Tower of Victory and Peace, is situated between the central axis of the Centre Block of the Canadian parliament buildings in Ottawa, Ontario.
The present incarnation replaced the old 55 m (180 ft) Victoria Tower, which burned down in 1916. The current 98 m (322 ft) tall tower was completed in 1920 and designed by Jean Omer Marchand and John A. Pearson. The peace tower has a 53-bell carillon, inaugurated in 1927 in honour of Canadians who lost their lives in World War I.
The Zytglogge Tower, Bern, Switzerland – 13th Century
The Zytglogge Tower was built in the 13th century and is probably one of the oldest clock towers in the world. Over the last 800+ years, the tower has served the city as a fortification, prison, clock tower, and civic memorial. Situated in the Old City of Bern, Switzerland, the Zytglogge Tower is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
The Zytglogge Tower stands tall at 54.5 m (179 ft) and has an hour bell of the weight of 1,400 kilograms. The tower has overgone multiple reconstructions over the last few centuries, and the premises we see now only hold two visible structures from the earlier history, the late Gothic cornice below the roof and the stair tower.
New Town Hall Clock Tower, Munich, Germany – 1867
When they ran out of space in the old town hall, they decided to build a new one in 1908. The new town hall hosts the city government buildings, including the city council, offices of the mayors and a small portion of the administration. The tower is home to the Rathaus Glockenspiel, a tourist attraction clock with 43 bells and 32 figures.
The facade of the tower and clock bells were repaired in 2006–07, ahead of the city’s 850th birthday in 2008. The name of the clock tower, glockenspiel, is in German and means bell play. Every day at 11:00 AM and during the summer at noon and 05:00 PM, the figures on the top portion re-enact two stories from the 16th century.
Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, Baltimore, Maryland – 1911
The Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, previously known as Emerson Tower, is a 15-story clock tower situated at 21 South Eutaw Street in Baltimore, Maryland. The 88 m (289 ft) was completed in 1911 and designed by architect Joseph Evans Sperry. The tower features four clock faces on the North, South, East and West sides of the 15th floor.
Earlier, the tower was a landmark of the Emerson Drug Company with its office headquarters and manufacturing plant tower, but now it is home to studio spaces for artists and writers. Instead of numbers, the clock face on the building runs and displays the letters BROMO clockwise from 10:00 to 2:00, while SELTZER is counterclockwise from 9:00 to 3:00.
Zimmer Tower, Lier, Belgium
Zimmer Tower or Cornelius Tower of Lier, Belgium was initially built as a Lier’s city fortification in the 14th century. Later in the year 1930, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Belgium’s independence, a clock was added to the tower, which astronomer and clockmaker Louis Zimmer designed.
The central clock of the tower is encircled by 12 small clocks, which show time on all continents, phases of the moons, and times of tides. The Zimmer Tower obtained the status of a state-protected monument in the year 1980, and now the tower and pavilion with the wonder clocks are a part of the museum.
Hussainabad Clock Tower, Lucknow, India
You must have heard about the Rumi Darwaza, one of the famous monuments of Lucknow, but have you heard about or seen the Husainabad Clock Tower, which is located adjacent to the Rumi Darwaza? The clock tower was constructed in 1881 by Hussainabad Trust to welcome and mark the arrival of Sir George Couper.
The Hussainabad clock tower stands 67 metres (220 ft) from the ground level and was designed by Richard Roskell Bayne. Just like the Rajabai tower, the Hussainabad clock tower is also a replica of London’s Big Ben clock tower. The tower features a gigantic pendulum of 14 feet, and they have used gunmetal to build the clock parts.
