Sandesh Bhosle, Author at Exhibit Tech

How To Use Best of OnePlus 9R Features – Tips & Tricks

OnePlus launched the OnePlus 9R on 23rd March with their very own Oxygen OS, which is one of the most fluid and clean versions of Android skins available, and there are lots within it to look into and customise. OnePlus is also trying really hard in India after becoming the most popular premium brand in the country and the launch of India only features was one of these steps. If you’ve recently purchased OnePlus 9R, here are some valuable tips that will make your premium phone experience effortless and easier.

Customize your fingerprint animation:

People usually get bored with the same blue-coloured fingerprint animation, but now they don’t have to stick with just one fingerprint animation. OnePlus seized their problem and has added several fingerprint animations that let users unlock their handset in style.

You can now customize the traditional fingerprint animation that comes when you unlock the phone using the in-display fingerprint scanner. To do that, open Settings > Security & Lock Screen > Fingerprint Unlock. Here, you’ll see a Fingerprint Animation Effect in the fingerprint unlock option, such as ripple, stripe, and more. Choose the fingerprint animation option you want and lock your phone to unlock it with the new fingerprint.

Use photos as your Always on Display:

A maximum number of smartphones with the Always-on display feature show a black screen along with time, date and battery percentage. Moreover, it looks decent, but having a canvassed photo of yourself or your loved ones on the Always-on display has its pleasure. The OxygenOS 11 update brings this beta feature called Canvas which turns a person’s photo into your Always-on ambient display.

Once you lock your phone, a person’s face becomes a white outline on a black background. If you want to add such canvas on your OnePlus 9R, then Open Settings > Customisation > Wallpapers and select Canvas. Then choose a photo you want to see on your AOD, and the phone will activate the Canvas.

Work-Life Balance:

OnePlus 9R features a new notification prioritisation feature to help users achieve Work-Life Balance, which is quite innovative. The feature allows users and helps them prioritise notifications and assign time and allocate time wisely. One of the best features launched by OnePlus will help users achieve work-life balance while working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new Work-Life Balance feature by OnePlus takes a more condensed approach; by applying this feature, you can use the same phone differently, with different apps, mute notifications from certain apps, during the set work hours and free time. To activate, head to the quick toggle/settings panel and tap on Work mode or Life mode, and it’ll show you a list of all your installed apps, select the preferred apps and activate the feature.

Double-tap to lock:

Android phones will instantly lock themselves once you stop the screen activity or turn the screen off with the power button, but a little problem arises when you have a giant phone, as you have to move your thumb and sometimes it makes you think, what if I have an option to lock the phone with other more straightforward options.

OnePlus has all ears to resolve your question, and with the OnePlus 9R, now you can lock your phone with just a double-tap on the empty space. To activate this feature, head to Home Settings > Double tap to lock, toggle the switch to the on position, then go back to your home screen again. Now, whenever you double-tap on your home screen, your phone will lock itself.

Bedtime Mode to slow wireless charging:

Living in a modern world and busy times, most of us will forget to charge our device during the daytime and put the phone on charge during bedtime. Also, most of us prefer to chat or watch movies by plugging in the phone to charge during the night hours and fall asleep; this raises concern over battery optimization and overcharging the device.

However, now we have a solution as OnePlus has launched the first wireless charger, and it’s a beauty. So, If you’re using one of OnePlus’ fast wireless charging stands with your OnePlus 9R, you can enable bedtime charging mode. The feature switches the whirring fan off and charges the phone more slowly at specific times, taking away the wireless charger’s bothersome fan noise. To activate the same, go to Settings > Battery > Bedtime Mode > Tap next to schedule to turn on the Bedtime Mode and schedule the time; that’s it.

Direct WiFi tethering:

Back in 2014, if somebody has asked you, is it possible to connect to a WiFi network and share that WiFi connection via a mobile hotspot simultaneously? You would have answered a straight no, but now with OnePlus, it is possible.

Sharing a connection this way is called Direct WiFi tethering, where you just have to connect your phone with WiFi and then you can share the same network to any other device by turning on a mobile hotspot. The feature is useful when you don’t want to share your home-based WiFi password with others, and it also sounds cool to activate WiFi and hotspot at the same time.

Horizon Lighting or Edge Lighting:

A direct notification and a blinking light notification are ice age features. OnePlus has introduced something unique with Horizon Light notifications. The horizon lighting feature lights up the edges of the screen via a flashing light when you receive an alert or a message instead of sending you a push notification.

A practical and helpful feature replaces the LED for notifications, an element that often does not find space in the most recently launched devices. If you want to enable horizon light for notification on your OnePlus 9R, then head to Settings > Display, turn on the Ambient Display and scroll down to tap on Horizon Light. Select one of the lighting effects out of four available options as per your choice and save it to apply the feature.

Do This Before Google Photos Becomes Paid

Last year during November, Google announced a modification in its storage policy for Photos and confirmed that it would be ending support for unlimited storage of high-quality images for their users. As per the new policy, the 15GB free storage that comes with every Google account will also include Google Photos, which really annoyed people as it was one of the best features. After 1st June, users will be limited to the 15GB free Google storage that the company allows for all accounts, divided across Photos, Gmail and Drive storage.

Google has also confirmed that future Pixel phones won’t get the same perks as they currently have, where they’re allowed to store unlimited original quality pictures in its Photos app. The current Pixel owners (Pixel 5 and earlier models up to Pixel 2) will be the last to enjoy Google Photo’s best feature.

Now, for those without an eligible Pixel smartphone, you’ve only got a few days left to do the action because after the policy comes into effect, users will be bound to a limit of 15 GB, and if they want additional storage, they have to opt for Google’s subscription-based storage plans that start from Rs 130 per month for 100GB storage or delete some photos for some extra space. Nevertheless, suppose you don’t want to spend extra money on cloud storage. In that case, you should spare the time now to clear unwanted data and upload important images-videos you haven’t put on Google’s cloud before the deadline kicks in.

Why is Google changing the storage policy?

Cloud storage doesn’t just appear out of the clouds, and free backups are costing big to Google as the more data people store on Google Photos, the more hard drives worth millions of dollars shoot in the Google backup storage system. Along with hard drives, the company has to make the payment to keep the data safe and secure in storage buildings which also costs tons of electricity charges and wages of workers.

According to Google, there are more than four trillion photos in its cloud storage and over 1 billion users backup their 28 billion photos and videos to Google Photos each week. An authorised Google person also said that 80% of users would not hit the primary 15 GB storage mark in the next ten years after the policy comes on board.

How to clear up unwanted data?

You must have cared about cleaning your surroundings during the pandemic, but now, you have to apply the same as it’s time to clean your digital room and to do that, you will need the Google One app. In the app, open the storage tab, and you will be able to see how much of your free 15GB storage is utilised across your Gmail, Google Drive files and Google Photos data.

If you want to clear up unwanted data, tap on the ‘Free up account storage’ button, and you’ll see all the usage details, including draft-discarded emails, emails with large attachments, and unsupported file types on Google Drive and more. Take a fresh look at your Google Photos library and remove all unwanted, duplicate and blurred images. You can either select the categories you want to get rid of or select each item manually, whichever is suitable for you.

How to use most of the Google Photos app before 1st June?

Now that you’ve cleared all the unwanted data, it’s time to back up the rest and upload the new high-quality images. You can add as many high-quality photos as you want to Google Photos before 1st June as it won’t impact your Google account storage. If you haven’t converted your original quality images to high quality, it’s time to do the same to ensure it is not counted in your 15GB free storage.

In case if you’ve too much data and use a phone with ample internal storage capacity (256GB or 512 GB), then download all the data on your phone before the deadline. After finishing the download process, create a new Gmail account, just for the photos and upload all the data, pictures, and videos folder-wise to the newly created account’s Google Photos. By following this process, you don’t have to worry about running out of storage due to Gmail and Google Drive files, as it’s null already. Apple iPhone users can move their data to iCloud with a 75 per month plan, which offers 50GB storage.

Other alternative cloud storage options:

DigiBoxx, India’s very own cloud storage platform, offers 20GB of free cloud storage. The free plan supports Gmail integration and unlimited external collaborations, along with end-to-encryption. DigiBoxx is offering 100GB of cloud storage space per month for just Rs 30, which is pocket friendly for everyone.

Along with Digiboxx, there are several other storage providers available in the Indian app market, including Microsoft OneDrive, Degoo, and yet to be launched Amazon Photos, but all of them are offering a limited storage space, which is even shorter than Google Photos. Then why not use our very own and trustworthy Google Photos instead of others.

How To Use Your iPhone To The Fullest – Tips & Tricks

Everyone likes to do things in a nick of a time unless you fancy following a snail lifestyle. Grasping a handful of tips and tricks will always help you save your time and do things quickly. Coming back to the actual point, if you’re a proud owner of the iPhone or if you’ve recently purchased an iPhone with the latest iOS 14 software downloaded, this feature is for you as we’re presenting the best hands-on iPhone tips and tricks to make your day to day life more effortless than ever.

Customize your pre-written default text messages:

Nowadays, due to the pandemic, most people are looking for excuses to fill their extra time, and that’s the only reason your random classmate called you last week but are you really interested in receiving his/her annoying calls again? If no, here’s a tip for you. Instead of completely ignoring your classmates or family members, the best you can do is reply to them with a customized text message.

Every iPhone has three pre-written options: Sorry, I can’t talk right now, I’m on my way, and Can I call you later? And an option that lets you type your text. But if you want them to know you’re really busy, just overwrite the other three options with something interesting so that people will assume you’re busy-busy somewhere else.

To overwrite those three options, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and tap phone
Tap Respond with Text
Pick the option you want to edit
Type in new text, done

Edit Screenshots in a smart way:

People often share screenshots with their loved ones, friends or colleagues, sometimes for a fun purpose and sometimes for work but do you know you can edit your screenshot right before you save or share it?

To edit your screenshots, follow these steps:

Take a screenshot
Tap on the thumbnail of the screenshot that appears at the bottom left of your screen
Now crop your screenshot, doodle on it, add highlight parts, and even more.
When you’re done editing the screenshot, tap on the done option, or tap the share icon to share it with someone.

Avoid getting ducked by your phone with Alternative Face ID:

You spend almost half of your day with your mobile; still, most of the time, your device fails to recognize your face just because you’ve clean shaved your beard or you’ve changed your hairstyle and look for an evening party. No one likes to get duck by their phones, and after several attempts, it gets annoying and gets you down after a while, but what if I tell you there’s a solution to get over such an issue right in your iPhone.

To add an alternative face ID, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode
Enter you password
Select Set Up an Alternative Appearance
Tap on get started and follow the instructions
Scan your alternative appearance, done

Cut down unwanted notifications:

A single undesired notification can ruin your evening date, family time or a business meeting, and we all know getting your concentration back on something is a complicated task. In such cases, the Do Not Disturb feature can be your saviour; it is one of the most-used features on the iPhone, but do you know there’s more to explore with this feature, especially when you do long commutes. While driving, staying focused is necessary, and if in such situations you get a call or notification, it will divide your focus in two. To avoid such scenarios, turn on Do not disturb while driving; this feature will help your iPhone detect acceleration, and it will automatically connect to your vehicle’s Bluetooth. It will also send an auto-reply text to anyone who tries to contact you.

To turn on this feature, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Tap on Do Not Disturb
Select Do not disturb while driving
Choose automatically or while connected, done

Speed up your iPhone’s charging:

We all know iPhones are marvels of manufacturing, but their batteries can degrade over time. Turning on aeroplane mode while plugging in your iPhone to charge is an old trick; along with this one, you can turn on the battery optimizer if you find your battery is beginning to degrade.

To turn on this feature, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Tap on Battery
Select Battery Health
Choose Optimise Battery Charging, done

Scan QR codes in a second:

Every time you want to scan some sort of QR code or make the payment online at a local store, you look for a QR scanner or some specific payment app, and during peak hours, it really gets to your nerves. In such urgent situations, iPhone’s inbuilt QR scanner can help you toss the issue. If you want to launch the phone’s inbuilt QR code scanning feature in seconds, launch Control Centre by swiping down from the top right of the screen. Here, you’ll see the small QR code button. Tap on that, and now you can quickly scan a code.

Create Shortcuts for Emoji:

Whenever you’re chatting with someone, we all like to give quick replies and most of the time; we prefer to use emojis to express our feelings in a fast way, but finding emojis in seconds is a tricky task if you’re not aware of their exact placement in your keyboard. To make emojis easier to find, you can create text shortcuts for them just by typing a specific text. For instance, you can put LOL as the shortcut for the face with tears of joy and then every time you type LOL, this particular emoji will appear on a screen.

To set shortcuts for emojis, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Tap on General
Select Keyboard > Text Replacement
Tap on the + icon at the top-right

Close all the browser tabs in one go:

We don’t comprehend how many browsing tabs we’ve opened while looking for something on the internet, which leads to the opening of the way to many tabs, which later on breeds draining your battery. Luckily, the iPhone has a feature to close all the tabs in one go; you just have to scroll down on the tabs button at the bottom-right. Then you’ll see two options there, New tab and Close X tabs; choose the one you want. In addition to that, you can set it to close your tabs after one day, week, month, or leave it on manual mode.

Control your screen time usage:

We often use our iPhones to the fullest and then feel guilty about that, but the iPhone has taken care of that. When you can’t minimize or control your phone usage, you can quickly chop off the time you spent on social media, online shopping, or scanning headlines with the help of Screen Time.

To enable screen time, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Tap on Screen Time
Select App Limits and then Add Limit
Tap a category and add the time
Tap the Top Left Arrow to Save, done.

5 Must Have Apps While Sharing A Room With Someone

Human beings are one of the laziest species in the world, at least during their adolescence and twenties, especially when they’re living away from the parents. Whatever age period we’re into, we always look for comfort, be it sharing a room away from home with siblings or living with a couple of other roommates.

While sharing a room with someone, along with comfort, we all need a lot of coordination to do the chores and other necessary work on time, and if we fail to maintain that coordination, then we’ll surely end up having hatred in our hearts for each other. One person can’t manage and keep track of all the things, and if he or she does, it won’t last forever because, after a while, it all gets annoying and confusing. So, it’s better to use technology and plan everything with coordination, and to do that, here is a list of the top 5 best apps you’ll need while sharing a room with someone.

> Splitwise

Being roomies, let’s split is the most common catchword we all use when we’re going on a trip together or paying for group lunch/dinner or shopping for house expenses, and in most cases, we forgot to keep the bills. In such cases, the Splitwise app comes in handy as it helps you keep track of the expenses on the go and regulate to be notified of who paid what bills, who owes who, the exact amount of per head contribution and borrowings among each other. The app’s user interface is very simple and accurate; once you’re into Splitwise, you’ll not look for other splitting apps.

> White Noise Lite

You can choose your room but not your roommates, and beyond that, you can’t guess how they behave around the house in just one or two meetings. Sometimes they turn out to be well mannered and sometimes a little too noisy, and in such conditions, you can request them to stay low key, but you can’t force them to remain low key all the time as it’s in their veins. If you’re dealing with such an issue and looking for peace of mind for better sleep hours, then White Noise Lite is the app for you. The app helps you escape from noisy housemates, as it is designed to relax you with its music and help you fall asleep faster, so you don’t have to worry about the party upstairs. Also, you can turn off the data and still be able to listen to the app.

> Listonic

While staying away, planning your grocery list is one of the complex tasks to do but with the Listonic app, we all can breathe easy as it is the highest-rated shopping list app on Google Play in 2021. The app helps you make a grocery list along with your roommates in the most efficient way possible. The smooth interface of the Listonic app makes adding items and their quantities an easy task. Since we repeatedly purchase most of the items, the app suggests our previously bought items, which help us create a precise list; it also keeps all its users informed about what’s been done and what’s left to buy.

> Chooserrr

Living with roommates comes with disagreements over little things, and most of the time, we end up compromising, be it going out for a movie or choosing a piece of furniture. We all deal with such scenarios, and the best gateway for staying away from such cases is the Chooserrr app. The app lets you create and share the tasks, and later on, it randomly assigns one of you to fulfil the duty, which results in zero discussion over silly things and saves everyone’s time. Unfortunately, the Chooserrr app is only available on iOS devices, and Android users have to wait or manage with some other app.

> Tody

Staying along with roommates will always lead to living life like a bachelor size, which means untidy and messy but staying healthy and fit always comes with cleanliness, and in these challenging times, it is more than necessary to keep ourselves hygienic. You can do this in one click by downloading a Tody app, which will motivate you to manage your household cleaning chores. The Tody app lets you assign the tasks to different roommates, and it has a colour-bar system that will update you from time to time about when was the last time you did some specific cleaning task. You can also create room wise cleaning sections for better cleaning opportunities.

Top Google Apps For Better Mobile Experience

We can’t deny the fact that we live a life either in our way or Google way; this is the level of impact Google has on our lives. Right from searching for something to paying someone online, Google apps surround us; without any doubt, we can say Google is the best friend we haven’t seen yet but been with it all the time.

In a recent I/O 2021 event, Google announced many more things, including Android 12 preview beta, a futuristic 3D video calling booth, lots of health-focused apps, and a foldable phone with the name Passport, but most of these things are associated with the future and currently limited for a few specific devices. But there’s no need to panic out as Google has more than 100 apps issued on the Play Store and Apple App Store that can make your day to day life better, and here, we’ve enlisted a few of the most incredible and must-have apps from Google.

Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud-based storage option that lets you store your images, videos, documents, files, and almost every sort of material allowed with your phone on their cloud server. The default Android app provides you with 15 GB of free storage, with that you can access, edit and share materials from anywhere to anyone, that too, in a super-smooth way. You can work on Microsoft Word or Excel documents in Google Drive and collaborate with your teammates with an easy to use interface. Google Drive arrives with a safe option where you can set access levels for who can view, comment or edit your data; also, the app lets you share your data materials with anyone using a custom link.

Snapseed

Snapseed is a Google-owned photo-editing application that allows users to beautify photos and apply pre-loaded digital filters. If you’re trying your hands at smartphone photography and wishing to get an impressive number of followers on Instagram, then you should Snapseed right away; it’s a kind of application even professional photographers recommend to others and use to enhance their photos. When compared to other photo-editing apps, Snapseed is way too easy to learn, and once you understand its inner beats, there’s no coming back.

Google Forms

Google Forms is a web-based app that’s completely free with a Google account, and you can access it anywhere, anytime. If you’re running an NGO, a registration campaign, questionnaires, or any kind of survey, Google Forms is the app that’ll help you in every way to know better about what your clients want. The application allows you to create professional-looking forms/surveys using themes and can be shared with respondents by sending a link, or you can even embed them on your webpage or blog.

PhotoScan

Have you ever thought of turning your old physical photos into digital form? If yes, then you must have known about the Google PhotoScan app. The app uses your smartphone’s camera to let you scan and save your preferred printed photos. The app doesn’t just take a photo of your physical photos; instead, it creates advanced digital scans, and about the results, you know how good Google is with its camera software.

Google Ads

Google Ads, also called PPC (PayPerClick), is an online advertising platform developed by Google to show paid ads, product listings, or videos on Google search results. If you’re an advertiser who wants to grab the attention of your clients to grow your business, then Google Ads is the only app you’ll ever need. The app is an effective way to quickly generate a ton of qualified traffic toward your site, product, or online stores. Google Ads work better than SEO and even lets you target a specific audience from specific countries for better business opportunities. Once you learn how to use Google Ads, particularly about listings, then the app can be your major source to get the businesses.

Google Meet

Google Meet is an essential and secure video conferencing application for those who want to conduct video meetings online. The app lets you create, join and share high-quality video meetings with up to 1,00,000 viewers. The app allows you to create events directly from the calendar and offers security on every connection, be it audio or video. Google Meet is extremely easy to use and authorises you to share your video, desktop, and presentations with others.

Google Photos

If you click tons of selfies or photos on a daily basis and always run out of storage every other week, then you should consider backing up your old photos with a pre-loaded Google Photos app. The app lets you store, share, view and edit photos and videos with an automatic backup, you just have to select the particular folders. Google Photos also notifies you when about photo memories along with date and location. The app is straightforward to use, and it comes with AI-boosted editing and organisation features, including facial recognition, automatic collages and auto-created movies.

Google Pay

Google Pay is one of the most popular apps developed by Google. The app offers paying-requesting money, bills, recharges, and other online transactions when you add your bank details linked with your current mobile number. The app provides lots of offers and reward points, so next time before you pay via Google Pay, look for the ongoing offers; you might end up earning a hefty cashback or discount after a successful transaction.

Google Arts & Culture

Google Arts & Culture is an excellent app that allows its viewer to visit historical and cultural artworks virtually, but it hasn’t been in the main flow due to less traction and lingered behind. Like its name, it is developed for people who are fond of Art & Culture; the app lets you explore arts, historical wonders and more from thousands of archives, museums and other history organisations. If you’re tired of indoor-travelling on Google Maps and want to go further in these pandemic days, then Google Arts & Culture is the app for you.

How Minimalism Can Benefit You Mentally

Minimalism is a word that’s often stylized by a number of people these days, but do we really know what it actually means and what it holds behind the curtains? Many people define minimalism as an art of effective organization where you clear the clutter and give importance to the only things that are really necessary for you, but is that enough to describe minimalism?

What is Minimalism?

People define minimalism as the ability to live with only 100 things and stick with them till the end of life, to buy a studio apartment and decorate it with only white colour, or to eat the same type of food till your appetite bursts out one day and you say “I’m done with this.” No, minimalism is not at all about repeating the same things, stuff and food, but it is all about keeping what you need the most and living life in a bare minimum and simple form.

History of Minimalism:

In the mid-20th century, most countries were at the core of post-war trauma, and everyone struggled to settle down in life. Due to war, most families were insecure about the life ahead. They were not sure about the war’s end and its consequences, which became the crucial reason people started buying tons of unnecessary stuff for future use, which is how consumerism reached its prime.

In the next few decades, people learned to adjust to post-war life, but the financial crisis was still at the doors. During the same phase, a large number of artists started preferring simple geometric shapes and lines over complicated ones. In their art forms, be it a painting, architecture, infrastructure, interior design, or other products, they influenced people in being minimalist. Though there are no specific whereabouts of where minimalism started initially, most experts say it first emerged in New York City, somewhere around the 1960s.

Misconceptions about Minimalist lifestyle:

The most common misconception about people living a minimalist life is that these people can’t afford a well-enriched lifestyle, and that’s why they prefer to sacrifice the number of things in the name of a relaxed way of living, styling themselves as minimalists. But actually, it’s quite the opposite. Decluttering your house and life in the simplest way and holding onto the most necessary things has its benefit. As the things you now hold are carefully picked and have a purpose of serving you more conventionally, which indirectly adds a meaningful experience to your life.

Practising Minimalism:

As the rest of the world enjoys billions of things, adding more clutter to their lives, it’s not easy to keep yourself away from purchasing things. But having more is not the way to live life to the fullest. Practising minimalism will surely take some time, effort and energy, but if you stick to the goal, you’ll feel more relaxed, and at the end of the day, you will learn how not to desire more.

Minimalism encourages us to live in the moment, pursue our passion, focus on our health, grow as individuals and find purpose in our lives. Following a minimalistic lifestyle positively influence one’s mental health and adds relaxation in life, which matters the most. We never thought or planned how to deal with the pandemic life, but when it hit and everything went shut, we learned the process of identifying what is essential in our life and having the courage to eliminate the rest. In short, we learned to live like minimalists. So, what’s the problem in carrying on?

Minimalism can be helpful to get rid of anxiety, depression, even schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Here are a few of its benefits.

> Mental Clarity

A minimalistic lifestyle encourages you to maintain a clean and peaceful environment that ultimately makes your house more spacious and helps you to have a clear approach. When you declutter things from your house, you feel relaxed as it equips you with additional space, the same thing happens with your mind, and it allows you to think more positively and clearly.

One can be more creative and productive when less materialistic things surround them as it makes the soul calm and composed. For example, when many things encompass your house and office space, your mind wanders around, recklessly offering loads of visual cues to trigger unwanted thoughts and memories, resulting in losing concentration. The very process of decluttering and minimizing your space can be great for your mental health, as it gives you mental clarity and helps you focus on your life or work.

> Have Less, Save More

It’s important to understand minimalism as a way of life means no unnecessary stuff in your house and no random thoughts on your mind. But having a full home doesn’t mean you live in clutter, minimalism is all about what you really need, and it varies from person to person.

Whenever people visit malls or e-commerce sites, they see lots of things, and most of the time, they consider buying one of them and sometimes even more, but before going ahead, they should understand that new things only give you instant satisfaction, which stays only for a few days. Though if the collectible is a necessary one, then it’s okay to shop, but if it’s not, then you’re going to enjoy it for a moment and then you’ll put it on a shelf or in a closet and never think about it again.

Following a minimalist approach doesn’t mean you avoid purchasing anything at all; it just means if you’re thinking about buying some stuff, then give yourself time, think about its use in the real world. Then after a week or two, if it still stays in your mind, go for it, but if it doesn’t, then it’s not worth having as it’s just going to add extra space in your house.

> Extra Time

Lockdown forced everyone to work from home, and we all ended up in a house trap of daily chores; before the lockdown, most of us were dependent on maids and other family members, primarily mothers. But during the lockdown, when we started helping out with house chores, we realized that real hard work lies here and having more stuff in the house doubles the work.

Likewise, in your free time, when you think of cleaning your room or when someone asks you to help with the house cleaning task, especially during festivals – you see the collection of dishes/curtains/clothes that you haven’t used yet or used in months. You see a couple of throw pillows and teddy bears on your couch, hundreds of old newspapers under the tea table, several numbers of toys/gifts in the cupboard and for the first time in life you don’t feel excited after seeing these things. Instead, you find yourself bewildered by all of the stuff as they’re going to take your free time with the additional cleaning, and the lack of space.

If you’re undergoing additional stress because of the things you own in the house, then what’s the point of having them? Get rid of them and use that daily/weekly cleaning time to do something better for yourself.

> Management

If something out of place turns on your panic mode or when you need something urgent, and you forgot where you exactly kept it last time, then this one’s for you. Practising minimalism makes you stick with only necessary items, and this leads to proper management.

Suppose you store your things in a specific way, like all the electronic items in one box, all the stationery items in another and so on followed by a naming sticker on each box. In that case, this will save your time when you’re looking for them as you’re already aware of their exact whereabouts. Such slight changes will help you to live a life that is more fulfilling and well managed.

> Saying No to Wasted Weekends

If you often find yourself in the dilemma of whether to say yes or no to someone you adored or to your friends or the weekend parties, then it’s time for you to consider minimalism. When people attend weekend parties or subsequent celebrations, they usually gossip about others’ lives, what they’re buying-wearing, who’s dating who, and discuss how someone is progressing in life, where they’re planning to go for vacations, and the list goes on.

It’s okay if you’re leaving all the party talks at the door, but if these discussions harm you mentally, then you’ve to rethink about attending such parties. As these discussions and conversations are only going to affect your mental health and add more stress to it. It’s better to evaluate your friendships and circle at the right time; sometimes, saying no is better than stressing over it, and there’s no harm to stay within your home and chill with your people, the real ones who care about you.

These are a few ways in which minimalism can heal your soul. Do hit us up on our social media channels if you’ve any suggestions; until then, stay healthy, stay safe!

Watchout for these Upcoming OTT Shows of 2021

Getting bored with the Work From Home scenario and looking for a gateway to entertainment? Then OTT platform is the most valid answer for you. Back then, OTT was considered as a second alternative for entertainment purposes due to theatres and several other outdoor activity options, but with the arrival of Covid-19, the whole concept of entertainment has changed in a moment.

Earlier, we used to see the same bunch of actors on OTT platforms, but today, the time has come where even Bollywood Superstars want to join the OTT parade to stay relevant. Content-driven stories backed by well-executed performances eased OTT platforms to reach the peak of the success, and in the coming days, we can expect a high-level competition here as well.

The OTT platforms are packed with great content and eagerly waiting to release their most-awaited shows to keep us entertained throughout 2021. To save your valuable time, we have compiled a list of the 10 most-awaited upcoming OTT releases on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Zee 5, Sony Liv and Disney+Hotstar in 2021.

1. The Family Man, Season 2: Amazon Prime Originals

The series is created-directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, the duo who entertained us previously with films like Go Goa Gone and Stree. The action-thriller series features Manoj Bajpayee as Srikant Tiwari, a middle-class man secretly working as an intelligence officer who struggles to balance his professional and personal life, the plot and the character itself was a breather from monotonous stories. The 10-episodic first season was so gripped, and the way it ended left the viewers in turmoil. Now, it’s been more than a year, and the viewers still can’t get enough of Shrikant’s life, though Season 2 was initially scheduled for release on 12th February but has been postponed until June, and the wait is still on.

2. Sex Education, Season 3: Netflix

The British comedy-drama follows the story of Otis Milburn, a socially awkward teenage son of the sex therapist mother. He starts his high school sex clinic along with Maeve Wiley, a social outcast and a classmate, to help fellow students out with their sex-related issues. Over the two seasons, a lot has happened between Otis and Maeve’s life, and after two heartbreaking season endings, Sex Education is renewed for the third season. The series has earned a lot of appreciation for their expert exploration and the way they handled sensitive topics like sexuality, family and relationships; there’s a lot to learn from the series; even adults could learn a thing or two from it. The third season is not yet officially scheduled to release, but it is rumoured to release in June or July of this year. Till then, keep your fingers crossed and buzz about the fate of Otis and Maeve’s relationship.

3. Rudra – The Edge of Darkness: Disney+ Hotstar

Disney+ Hotstar has done a decent job creating successful shows like Criminal Justice, Aarya, Special Ops, and now they’re venturing out with Rudra: The Edge of Darkness, starring one of the biggest superstars of Bollywood, the action-hero Ajay Devgn. The series is an official remake of English actor Idris Elba’s psychological crime drama television series Luther, which has five seasons. Ajay Devgn will be seen in a role of a city cop, and the series will be his grand entry into the digital space. The series is produced by Applause Entertainment, renowned for making mind-blowing shows like Criminal Justice, Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, Hostages and The Office.

4. Stranger Things, Season 4: Netflix

Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things is a popular American science-fiction horror television series set in the 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, where the story helps us explore the concept of a parallel dimensional world, referred to as the upside-down. Stranger Things has attracted record viewership on Netflix and has a broad, active and international fan base. One of the main leads from the series, Millie Bobby Brown, who played the character of Eleven, emerged as a teenage sensation. The third season quite ended on a sad note, and ever since, fans have been waiting desperately for season 4 as it will showcase Jim Hopper’s fate and the forthcoming threat in Russia.

5. Kota Factory, Season 2: Netflix

Created by TVF Originals, Kota Factory is one of the most popular and celebrated web series in India, starring newbies Mayur More, Ranjan Raj, Alam Khan in the lead, along with TVF’s veteran-star Jitendra Kumar. The comedy-drama about IIT aspirants is set in Kota and follows the story of a 16-year-old Vaibhav, played by Mayur More and what happens ahead when he shifts to the Hostel in Kota. The first season was released on the TVF app and YouTube simultaneously and received a fantastic response from critics, complimenting the monochrome setting and the realistic portrayal of coaching centres in India. The series has been renewed for another season, but this time on Netflix.

6. Special Ops 1.5, Season 2: Disney+ Hotstar

Created and directed by acclaimed Bollywood director Neeraj Pandey, Special OPS is an espionage-thriller web series. The series stars Kay Kay Menon as Himmat Singh in the lead and follows his work in the Research and Analysis Wing. His task force team of five agents living in various parts of the world aims to catch the mastermind of several similar patterned terrorist attacks. The plot is inspired by several espionage missions undertaken by India in the last two decades. After the success of the first season, Disney+ Hotstar is developing a prequel of Special Ops that will follow the prior life of its lead, Himmat Singh.

7. Delhi Crime, Season 2: Netflix

The only Indian web series to win a precious International Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, Delhi Crime, is a Netflix Indian original series created by Richie Mehta. Starring Shefali Shah in the lead as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi, the series is based on the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case that took place in South Delhi. The series follows the story in the aftermath of the gang rape, where Delhi Police strives to find out the culprits guilty for the attacks and death of the female victim. The new season is already in the production work, and it will be a distinct project, focussing on a new set of characters and a fresh story on a new crime.

8. Sunflower: Zee5

Sunflower is a Zee5 original, quirky black-comedy web series directed by Vikas Bahl and will feature actor-comedian Sunil Grover in the lead. Produced by Good Co and Reliance Entertainment, the story revolves around a middle-class housing society in Mumbai called “Sunflower”, where a murder occurs. The murder mystery is scheduled to be released on 11th June 2021.

9. Ray: Netflix

Directed by Ishqiya director Abhishek Chaubey along with Cannes nominee Vasan Bala and National Award winner Srijit Mukherji, Ray is an anthology web series that includes an adaptation of four short stories from celebrated filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray. The series features a mixed genre, where stories will take us through from a satire world to a psychological thriller. The series features a stellar cast, from Manoj Bajpayee, Gajraj Rao, Kay Kay Menon, Harshvardhan Kapoor to Ali Fazal and many more. Abhishek Chaubey has directed the part featuring Gajraj Rao and Manoj Bajpayee, while Srijit Mukherji and Vasan Bala have helmed other segments of the anthology.

10. Finding Anamika: Netflix

The upcoming thriller-drama web series is created by Bejoy Nambiar, and Karishma Kohli marks the debut of Madhuri Dixit-Nene into the OTT world. Along with Madhuri, the suspenseful family drama stars Sanjay Kapoor, Manav Kaul, Lakshvir Saran, Suhasini Muley and Muskkaan Jafari in the lead. The story will follow the journey of a global superstar vanishing into a void.

How Big Is Sony?

Sony is a popular household name in the entire world; the brand is marking its 75th anniversary this year. We all know Sony Corp. is a Japanese manufacturer who engages in developing, designing, manufacturing and selling electronic equipment, instruments, devices, game consoles that help us make our lives better but do we know how it all started and how big is Sony now? Very few of us are aware of it, and for the rest of the people, here is the answer.

Sony India:

In 1994, Sony Corporation started its business in India when it founded an Indian subsidiary Sony India Pvt. Ltd headquartered in New Delhi. Sony marked its presence across all principal towns and cities through a distribution network of over 10,400 dealers-distributors, 270 exclusive Sony outlets and 30 warehouses. In 2012, Sony Corporation restructured its India business by forming two separate units, one for engaging sales and marketing operations, headquartered in New Delhi and the other for focusing on software and product development, based in Bengaluru.

Products Manufactured by Sony in India:

LCD Televisions
Video and Digital Still Cameras
Audio-Video Accessories
Hi-fi Audios and Home Theater Systems
Car Audio and Visual Systems
Game Consoles
Mobile Phones
Recording Media
Energy Devices
Broadcast and Professional products

Establishment:

In 1946, Masaru Ibuka started an electronics shop in Shirokiya, Tokyo, with eight employees and supplied electronic goods to the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Later on, Ibuka was joined by Akio Morita, an applied sciences instructor, and together they found Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo On 7th May 1946. The company’s first consumer product was an electric rice cooker, which was a massive failure, and it is reported that it sold less than 100 units due to undercooking and overcooking issues. The product that helped them become a household name was a Type-G tape recorder, which they launched in the market in 1950; it was the first Japanese designed tape recorder.

Globalization:

The company occasionally used the acronym ‘Totsuko’ in Japan to avoid confusion with the railway company Tokyo Kyuko, as both of them used TTK as their initials to make it catchy to the consumers. The company’s fortune changed when Morita went to the United States in 1953 and signed the deal with Western Electric. The agreement paves the way to Totsuko’s first hugely successful product line: transistor radios.

During his visit, he discovered that Americans had trouble pronouncing the name Totsuko and this is how the name Sony arrived on the board. The first Sony-branded product, the TR-55 transistor radio, appeared in 1955, but the company name did not switch to Sony until January 1958. Sony’s pocket radios, particularly TR-63 radio, were a huge success and earned international recognition as a brand.

The Taste of Success & Sony Subsidiaries:

In 1960 the company founded Sony Corporation of America in the United States with headquarters in New York City. In the next few years, Sony successfully invented and shipped products like MD5 – the first all-transistor desktop calculator, the first Trinitron colour television, the first colour video cassette recorder and emerged as an electronics giant of the world.

In 1979, the Sony Walkman portable tape player hit the streets. However, most of the engineers at Sony were worried about its success as the device could only play and not record, but the Walkman became an international sensation, as Sony sold hundreds of millions of units.

Sony is known for its innovation. They are always on the radar for acquiring new technology or improving the existing ones. In 1982, Sony signed an agreement with Dutch manufacturer Philips Electronics and created the first compact disc player, and in the later years, they manufactured DVD players; Later on, along with a few other tech companies, Sony invented Floppy Disks and Blu-ray Discs; these newly arrived products gained popularity for Sony in the European and North American markets.

Sony Cameras:

In 1983, Sony released the first camcorder, the Betacam system, for professional use and entered the photography and videography field. Its point-and-shoot models, branded as the Cyber-shot, were introduced in 1996. Later in 2006, Sony entered the market with digital single-lens reflex models branded as Alpha. In 2010, Sony introduced their first mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, which were the NEX-3 and the NEX-5. Currently, Sony is the world’s third-largest manufacturer of cameras, only behind Canon and Nikon, respectively.

Sony Pictures:

In 1989, Sony purchased the rights of Columbia Pictures, an American film production company, from Cocacola under the name Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Sony has since created numerous other film production and distribution units. It expanded its operations on 8th April 2005, when a Sony-led consortium acquired the legendary Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in a US$4.8 billion deal.

Since its formation, Sony Pictures have created popular franchises like The Karate Kid, Spider-Man, Jumanji, Stuart Little and Men in Black. They’ve also produced one of the best TV series like Breaking Bad and The Good Doctor. Sony Pictures Networks India: A subsidiary of Sony Corporation based in India, owns several television channels with the brand name Sony as the first name of the channel.

Along with several channels, Sony has an entertainment application named SonyLIV, a video-on-demand service, owned by Sony Pictures Networks India. It is available on all platforms like Android, iOS devices, Smart TVs and other devices.

PlayStation – Video Game Console:

Admit it, you are a fan of PlayStations, and the fact is most of us got to know about Sony via the PlayStation consoles. The early 1990s were difficult years for Sony as the Japanese economy entered recession, and Sony declared its first loss of more than $200 million in 1993, but we all know that after every storm comes a rainbow and in 1994, Sony’s entertainment division introduced its PlayStation video game console to the Japanese market. As a fifth-generation console, the PlayStation principally competed with the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn.

The PlayStation signalled Sony’s rise to power in the video game industry as it became the first computer entertainment platform to ship over 100 million units in less than a decade, and by 2002 the game unit was contributing more than 10 percent of the company’s annual revenue. The PlayStation 2 is still the world’s best-selling gaming console by a considerable margin; as of now, it has sold over 163 million units. In 2020, Sony launched the PS5, which again became one of the best-selling consoles of all time. It had the biggest launch of any console till date.

Sony Mobiles:

In 2000, Sony was a marginal player in the mobile phone market with a share of less than 1 percent. Then, in 2001, Sony formed a joint venture with Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson, forming Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. Initially, it faced challenges and losses, but it gained profit in the next couple of years. Sony Ericsson phones were popular due to top-notch features such as cameras; at that time, it was a rare feature in mobile phones.

In 2009, Sony Ericsson was the fourth-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world. After buying ‘Ericsson’ in 2012 for over US$1 billion, Sony changed its mobile phone manufacturing division to ‘Sony Mobile Communications’ and started focusing entirely on the smartphone market under the Xperia brand, but still, they are struggling to make a profit due to the immense level of competition in the smartphone market.

Sony Music:

It was initially founded in 1929 as American Record Corporation, and after several acquisitions, Sony Corporation bought the company in 1988, renaming it under its current name in 1991. As of 2020, Sony Music Entertainment is the second largest of the top three record companies, behind Universal Music Group and followed by Warner Music Group.

Did You Know?

Sony had a dress code from 1970 to 1980, and employees used to wear a particular type of uniform while they were in the workplace. The uniforms were designed by the famous tech-fashion designer Issey Miyake.
Sony is serving all over the world; as of 2019, they have over 114,000 employees. Some occurrences occurred when Sony had to cut off thousands of jobs due to the decline in product sale. For example, in 2008, Sony had reduced its workforce by 8,000 to save about 1.1 billion USD per year.
Sony has acquired about 100 companies as of 2019. And, still, they are purchasing new companies from time to time. Columbia Pictures, Sony Ericsson and Ten Sports were a few of the prominent ones.
Sony Financial Holdings, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and owned by Sony Corporation, provides different types of financial services, and it is one of the most profitable companies of Sony Corporation.
Sony was a powerful influence in making Japan one of the mightiest exporters back in 1960, 1970, and 1980. The high-end quality of its products with the notion ‘Made in Japan’ helped Japan get recognition worldwide.

Sony Valuation & Debt:

According to the recently published financial statements, Sony Corporation has a Current Valuation of USD 141.81 Billion and based on the latest financial disclosure Sony Corporation has a Total Debt of USD 23.32 Billion.

The Future of Sony:

Sony emerged as one of the top electronics giants in the world during the mid-20th century and dominated the electronics industry since its inception in 1960, but started losing its place right throughout the mid to late-2000s. It has endured a declining market share for its many products but increasing profits for others as well. Sony currently dominates in the space of cameras, TVs and gaming consoles.

Although they are not much famous in the world of smartphones, they’re venturing out into the new markets. For example, Sony plans to release a brand new electric car in the market very soon. Furthermore, the PS5 is a shining example of Sony doing things right. The console is in extremely high demand worldwide and can bring in recurring profits for the company. Sony’s future will be exhilarating to watch as the company embraces new technologies and brings forth the best that it can offer.

Vivo Promises to Provide 3-Years of Android OS Update in X-Series phones

Who doesn’t like to have time to time updates for their smartphones? With every software update, your phone gets better. Last year Samsung announced that it would provide three generations of Android OS updates to its devices and hand over a list of about 40 devices that are eligible under its three-year updates’ pledge. Later, in the past month, HMD Global promised to offer two years of Android OS updates and three years of security updates to its Nokia X phones. The client inclined decision by Samsung and HMD Global gathered attention, which helped them gain more buyers.

With that aim and target, Vivo recently announced in a press statement its plan to offer three years of major Android OS updates for the future X series smartphones, an excellent move by Vivo to attract buyers. The update cycle includes three major Android updates and minor security upgrades for select Vivo X smartphones launched after July 2021. The company said in a press statement, the update thread will comprise the European, Australian, and Indian markets.

“Featuring top-of-the-line hardware, the X series flagship phones are built to last and we want to make sure that our customers get software support that lives up to their expectations. We always innovate with the user in mind. With this pledge, we are making a promise to our customers that they will be able to enjoy a premium smartphone experience for an extended period and continue to benefit from the latest software features” Yujian Shi, Senior Vice President and CTO of Vivo, said in a press meet when asked about the latest move by the company.

However, Vivo hasn’t disclosed the complete list of eligible models for the extended software updates, but the non-eligible ones will continue to receive regular Android security updates as planned. Three years of OS updates is a major improvement over the previously designed standard updates of two years. All the top smartphone manufacturers could extend it as much as four years in the future to stay up in the market and enhance the competition.

The announcement will undoubtedly create pressure on Oppo and OnePlus to follow Vivo’s example as all three of these smartphone manufacturers yield massive competition to each other. Currently, the OnePlus policy offers two years of Android version upgrades and three years of security updates, while Oppo provides two years of security updates and two generations of Android OS updates.

Furthermore, Vivo is yet to reveal details about its new X series phones. Although, the rumours suggested that the Vivo X70 Pro+ could be one of the forthcoming models. The smartphone is rumoured to have a 1/1.28-inch sensor supported by Zeiss optics and include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, the successor to the Snapdragon 865-series chipset.

Everything We Know About The iPhone 13

The iPhone 13 is expected to launch in the second half of 2021, and we can’t wait anymore. Like always, there are a number of rumours about what Apple has in store for us, which gives us an overall rough idea about what to expect from the upcoming iPhone 13.

Apple’s chief Tim Cook revealed that the iPhone 12 was the most sold and popular smartphone in the series so far, which unquestionably raises expectations for the iPhone 13. Last year’s iPhone 12 family brought 5G connectivity, a refreshed design and a new powerful chipset. We’ve heard from the rumours that iPhone 13 will feature a trimmed down notch design and an in-display fingerprint sensor as the company focuses on refining the design and improving the internals. Apart from these, Apple is supposed to bring more powerful cameras that capture sharper photos and a bigger battery.

There are possible chances that Apple could name the 2021 iPhone lineup either the iPhone 12s or iPhone 13, but till all these things befall to us officially, let’s call it iPhone 13 and here’s everything we’ve heard from all different types of sources about the forthcoming iPhone 13.

Design, Touch ID & Ports:

After a substantial number of changes to design and features in the iPhone 12, the iPhone 13 will likely remain nearly the same, but we can expect changes like a shrunken notch and Touch ID-based in-display fingerprint scanner in Apple’s next flagship phone. According to the Japanese site Mac Otakara, Apple will continue offering four iPhones in 2021 with the same size structure as the iPhone 12 family, but the thickness and weight could increase a little due to larger batteries.

We could see significant changes in the camera lens position, like lenses arranged diagonally instead of a vertical design, but the device will continue to offer the same Wide and Ultra-Wide lenses along with powerful updates. Leaked dimensions have also shown that iPhone 13’s rear camera system will be considerably larger.

The iPhone 13 models could feature a different matte finish on the outside and come in a matte black colour and stainless steel coating that reduces fingerprints marks.

Apple is working on a Touch ID-based in-display fingerprint scanner, which would be made available in addition to Face ID, a convenient option for iPhone users who struggle to unlock their iPhones with facial recognition while wearing masks. Also, there were reports that Apple would introduce a portless iPhone in 2021 with no external ports or buttons, but it looks like that’s not going to happen very soon, as future iPhones are expected to continue the conventional lightning ports.

Display:

Multiple rumours suggested that the iPhone 13 lineup could feature a 120 HZ display, but only on two of the four iPhone 13 models. The two models with 120 Hz are expected to be the Pro models, which are the ones that are claimed to adopt ProMotion technology.

The rumours also said that Samsung and LG would be the suppliers of LTPO OLED displays that will permit Apple to implement the 120Hz refresh rate in the 2021 iPhone models. Another major rumour in the pipeline is that the iPhone 13 screen might feature an Always-On display that will show a clock and battery charge level on a lock screen.

Chipset & Storage:

We can expect an A15 chip in the upcoming iPhone lineup, a successor to the very powerful A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12. The A15 chip will boost the overall performance and efficiency of the phone. On the storage front, we can expect the iPhone 13 to range from 64GB and 512GB, though some rumours suggested that Apple might skip the 64GB storage option in the iPhone 13 lineup and upgrade the maximum storage from 512 GB to 1 TB. Furthermore, the iPhone 13 is tipped to come with Wi-Fi 6E, an upgrade on the Wi-Fi 6 standard that will support even faster wireless speeds.

Price:

Current leaks do not provide any information about the iPhone 13 pricing, but it may come at a starting price of around Rs. 80,000, a slight increase compared to its predecessor. The second half of 2021 is yet to come, so expect many more leaks about the new iPhone until its launch.