Being a girl or woman in a collectivist country like India, where almost everyone is judgemental, especially in terms of fashion, is not an easy task. However, like every other obstacle, Indian women have successfully conquered the collectivist culture of our country and have come a long way.
The dog days are already here, and most of us are looking for a solution to get away with it. Alas, we can’t get away with summer heat that easily, but we can’t wait to go out as soon as possible as we have spent a considerable amount of time in our homes lately dealing with covid restrictions.
Going out in summer, even for a short time, sounds terrible, but you can survive the nasty summer by choosing the right wardrobe. One can’t dare to wear everyday clothes during summer, especially in a tropical region like India, where the temperature easily outshines 40° and scorches you alive.
Any wardrobe is incomplete without the summer essentials as we have to face the summer season for about 3-4 months. When dealing with summer, we have to raise the style bar similar to the scorching temperature as that keeps us going ahead and makes us comfortable in and out.
Suitable fabrics and colours for Summer Season
Summer clothes should be made of breathable fabrics such as cotton, and they must be bright in colour as such colours subconsciously augment our energy levels. Now, take a good look at the refreshing list of summer wardrobe essentials that we have created for you and beat the heat in style.
White T-Shirt
Let’s start from the basics! I know, seeing a white t-shirt at the top of the list is least expected, but don’t forget summer is all about going basic. A white t-shirt is one of the most versatile pieces you can wear during summer as it looks good on almost everything, be it relaxed fit blue jeans or a floral patterned skirt.
Shirt Dress
A shirt dress can easily help you swing the hot Indian summer days as they’re one of the classy garments that offer breathability along with a versatile look. You can pair up a shirt dress with a blazer for professional outings or pair it with white sneakers and hit the local café in style.
Tank Tops
We have a lot of options when it comes to tank tops as one can wear them almost everywhere, be it while sweating out in the gym or heading to the mall. Wear a tank top with a maxi skirt for a boho-chic look, or pair it up with a pencil skirt to have a formal look.
Denim Shorts
A pair of comfortable fit denim shorts can do wonders, especially when searching for a summer outfit. Wear a patterned bodysuit, white t-shirt or a crop top and add a statement belt, a handy phone bag along with black heels, and you’re ready to show off the summer chic look.
Sunglasses
One can’t survive the brutality of the summer (at least during the summer) without sunglasses unless you have spectacles and have no option rather than dealing with the harsh sun. While looking for sunglasses, go for the ones that suit your face shape the best and invest in a high-quality pair as they provide a decent shield.
Slides
Slides are one of the most comfortable and cute footwear you’ll see in summer as they’re easy to get on and off. Slides are the most versatile flip flops as they blend perfectly with a variety of outfits. Add the slides to your closet for summertime and style them with your favourite cropped, tapered, or relaxed denim.
Linen Wide Leg Culotte
Culotte may sound weird to the clan who always prefer to wear skinny jeans, but these wide-leg pants are easy to pull off and are favourite outdoor wear for the top celebrities, including Kendall Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, and Kate Middleton. They’re a perfect option if you’re looking for something airy during summer.
White Sneakers
White sneakers will never go out of style as they’re one of the top-notch footwear options, particularly during summer. Also, white pair of sneakers go with any outfit until you know how to keep them clean. Wear them with a polka dress or graphic tee with blue jeans, and thank me later.
Breton Striped Shirt or T-Shirt
A french-born Breton staple shirt or t-shirt can stand out amongst all the summer outfits and help you get a chic look. The original design featured 21 stripes, one for each of Napoleon Bonaparte’s victories, but who cares? Breton staple shirts or t-shirts look classy when paired with jeans or shorts.
Swimsuit
The best way to overcome the summer heat is diving into any kind of water body, such as pools, rivers, or beaches but going down the pool area in a t-shirt and shorts sounds a little outdated. Instead, get a proper swimsuit like a stylish one-piece and re-visit your inner sea mermaid.
The great Indian summer is here, and most of us are already drowning in a pool of sweat while commuting to work, playing outdoor games or perhaps everywhere. Nobody wants to go out in the summer, especially when living in a tropical country like ours, but that’s not the prime reason to stay inside.
Do you know why a massive number of men prefer winter as their go-to season? Well, the first thought that hits your mind is exemplary – salute to you, but besides that, the styling guide plays a key role. In winter, you can layer up yourself with cool jackets, funky shawls and whatnot, making it a style season.
While, in the case of the summer, we can’t even imagine getting out in a disgusting humid 40+ degree temperature. However, we’re eager to venture out as we’ve had enough during these last 2-years, and people are finally planning something where they’re packing everything except masks.
Well, nothing stays intact in a world of fast fashion but having a proper wardrobe essential and styling guide could save you anytime as these are the core elements that will allow you to enjoy the great tropical vibes while commuting to work or walking on a beach.
Suitable fabrics for Summer Season
Every season has its list of appropriate fabrics, and when it comes to the summer season, one must go with lighter fabrics with flexible weaves, such as cotton, linen, sheer and khadi, as these fabrics keep you cool inside and comfortable outside, all these benefits without surrendering any of style statement.
Suitable colours & fit for Summer Season
One can not summarize the bright and wonderful summer season without colours and patterns. Summer will be chiller if you add lighter shades of blue, browns, and greys to your wardrobe, along with clothes with colours like millennial pink, sage green, varsity red, and pastel purple.
One should avoid wearing dark shades during summer as they trap the heat from the sun and make you feel uncomfortably hotter. Also, loosen up your fit a bit like the guys from middle eastern countries do and go with relaxed fit clothes, which offer a decent room to breathe. Come on, it’s time to dive in.
Button-down long-sleeve Shirts
A pair of button-down long-sleeve shirts will serve as a smart casual for any summer situation, and once paired with relaxed/slim fit jeans or chinos, they’ll save you from having an everyday summer look of boring t-shirts and shorts. While walking out with these, make sure you unbutton the top button and roll up your sleeves.
White Sneakers
The white sneakers trend started back in the 20th century as a street style look, and it landed in the 21st century as a wardrobe classic, and indeed, they’re not going off the trend anytime soon. They’re known for their versatility as one can wear them casually and even with a tailored suit, but only if you know how to take care of them.
Ultralight Chinos
Chinos are the ideal bottom wears for the heat-season, of course, due to their welcome nature that offers breathability and comfort. I would say go for a lighter shade – slim fit chinos and pair them up with canvas sneakers and button-down long-sleeve shirts, henleys or even slim fit t-shirts.
Polo T-Shirts
Polo t-shirts are known as a middle ground between button-down shirts and t-shirts as they’re the perfect choice when you want to be professional and feel relaxed at the same time. While shopping for polos, go with a few muted summer colours of your choice and only buy the ones that equip you well.
Summer Shorts
Shorts are probably one of the most favoured outfits of the summertime as they offer the comfort you want in the warmer weather but only when you know how long your shorts should be! The shorts should be 1″ to 3″ above your knees, and if you’re planning to buy shorts that go past your knees, please turn the page.
Cuban-collar shirts
Cuban-collar shirts are famous for their collars which offer a little more breathing space (summery comfort) between collar and body. It was once known as strictly retro wear, but they’ve graduated into a men’s wardrobe staple in recent times. Go with the tropical, floral or geometrical prints and, of course, half sleeves.
Lightweight Jackets
Whoever said you couldn’t wear jackets during summer either damn-o-single or don’t prefer to go out on a date night. The lightweight jackets with signature large pockets are my favourite alternative to a blazer as they’re great to build breathability and always help you look smart while planning to go out.
Summer Shades
You can’t imagine hitting the outdoors during summertime without carrying a pair of reflective shades. Well, no kidding, you can’t imagine as the sun doesn’t let anyone do that. So put on the summer shades like Wayfarer, Clubmaster, Aviator or round eye lens to look stylish and keep the sun from blinding you.
Swim Shorts
Whether you know how to swim or not, swim shorts are one of the necessary wardrobe-essentials one should have during summer. We often prefer to visit water parks, beaches, and riversides in summer, and many guys fail to control a masculine urge to throw themselves in the waterbody. So yeah, get your swim shorts asap.
Summer Cologne
Summer brings a lot of unwanted heat and turns us into a sweaty phenomenon. Now, to overcome the heat, most of us overuse a cologne, resulting in an unsavoury smell due to an adverse chemical reaction. Hence, note it down – during summer, less is more, and for the best colognes, click here.
Do you remember those days when we all used to have keypad phones? Then a decade and a half ago, we started expecting more from our phones, and tech giants introduced us to touch-screen phones, followed by more modern and technological advanced smartphones. However, they couldn’t satisfy our tech cravings, and the ultimate research operation began.
Then, to get over this situation, smartphone makers started developing foldable smartphones, the most recent one being the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Now, following the footsteps of other smartphone manufacturers, The BBK-owned smartphone brand Vivo unveiled their first foldable phone, dubbed the X Fold, along with a 7-inch Vivo X Note smartphone.
Vivo X Fold has an inward foldable display that can unfold into an 8.03-inch 1800x2200px LTPO2 AMOLED E5 display, similar to what the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series offers and when folded, it offers a 6.53-inch AMOLED display. The outer display of the Vivo X Fold somewhat appears like any other regular smartphone, again more or less like Galaxy Z fold series smartphones.
The LTPO2 panel on the device offers allows the display to refresh between 1Hz and 120Hz to save some power. Also, the Vivo X Fold has a 120Hz refresh rate for both the displays and 300,000 folds for the hinge. The foldable phone uses Schott’s Ultra Thing Glass (UTG), and, as per the brand, it is the first smartphone ever to have a dual 3D ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner.
The Vivo X Fold is powered by a flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip with 12GB of RAM and backed by a 4,600mAh dual-cell battery with 66W fast wired charging support. The foldable phone sports a quad rear camera setup – a 50MP f/1.8 main camera, a 12MP f/2.4 2x (47mm) zoom camera, a 5x periscope zoom camera (with 60x digital zoom), and a 48MP f/2.2 114-degree ultrawide lens.
The inner and outer display of the foldable Vivo X Fold features a punch-hole camera which means the phone has two 16MP selfie cameras. Currently, the foldable phone is only available for sale in China at CNY 8,999 (approximately ₹1,07,207) with three colour options – Black, Blue and Gray but soon, the company will launch it globally.
We all have experienced dating apps at least once in our lives. Now, don’t spoil the excitement by saying you haven’t. Chalo, let’s assume you haven’t because we live in a country where matrimonial apps have more subscriptions than dating apps, and we’ve met many people in their twenty-somethings who are either interested in playing video games instead of dating or have lost faith in love due to several bummers.
Alas! We wish we could help you get a date, but we can’t. However, we can surely help you know more about the dating industry, where you might find something interesting that you can use to show off on your d-day. For instance, do you know back in the 20th-century, when newspaper ads became an integral part of human lives, “lonely soldiers” of World War I started connecting with their women over personal ads?
Now, please don’t overdo it by using the above reference while you’re on a first date. Getting back to the point, as technology started emerging in our lives, in 1965, a team of Harvard undergrads created the world’s first computer dating service, Operation Match, and since then, we have come a long way from launching the world’s first dating site in 1995 to inventing several mobile dating apps in the 2010s.
The Rise of Online Dating
When Gary Kremen and Peng T. Ong founded match.com in 1995, the internet was already booming, at least in first-world countries. Later on, within a short span dating culture spread out in the rest of the world like a pandemic, and people started focusing on its benefits, especially singles looking for a match. However, dating culture is still considered taboo in many countries, including India. Though, the recent reports tell a different story.
Thanks to Millennials and Gen Z, India has about 31 million people on dating apps.
Nowadays, if you ask 10 people how they met their partner? At least 7 of them will answer online instead of through family or friends, which speaks volumes about the rise of online dating. It all happened in the last decade only, when dating sites were replaced by dating apps. At first, at least during the initial days of their service, they were trying to help singles get a partner/date, but as they understood the growth prospects of the field, it became a business of love.
Algorithms played a massive role in developing dating apps as the developers tremendously improved their basics to match couples more efficiently than ever before. Besides algorithms, another thing that helped the dating industry grow was numerous couple studies that say couples who met online and got married have a subordinate share in the overall contribution of divorce. The global online dating market is currently worth $8 billion and is expected to hit the mark of 10 billion by 2025, which shows how much people enjoy dating online.
Valuation of the Online Dating Industry
The online dating industry has grown tremendously well in such a short amount of time and is currently valued at approximately USD 8-billion. However, if you look at the matchmaking success rate of dating apps, it is far below what you might expect. Only 40-45% of the users get their ideal matches, while the rest either wait or uninstall the app.
The industry is expected to reach a value of USD 10-billion by the end of 2024, and users will pass the 500 million mark. Some of the top companies in the online dating industry, such as Tinder & Bumble, are already setting up their dating metaverses to develop more user-friendly options in the future. As a whole, the industry seems to have a bright future.
Why doesn’t online dating work for most people?
Now that we’ve shared the list of top 5 dating apps, you (especially if you’re a male) must be wondering, I’ve tried most of them or, in some cases, all of them, but they didn’t work for me, forcing you either waiting for a match or playing the game of install and uninstall the app after every other month. In some cases, people get a response now and then, but not from the one they want to date.
Don’t worry about it, you’re not the only one who’s dealing with it, and if dating apps were perfect, people would use it once, find their soulmates and end up uninstalling the app happily. The dating apps are here to stay, to earn profits, and they’ll only get it done if they’re bad at it. So, don’t get frustrated and annoyed by the results. Work on where you’re going wrong and hone your skills.
Why you’re failing at online dating?
Physiognomy
You’re always swiping right on the basis of looks, appearance and hotness. Well, there are thousands of people who do the same, which means that one attractive person receives thousands of requests and you end up being a part of the highly competitive race.
The first impression
Your profile picture and bio play a crucial role in online dating, and if it doesn’t instantly connect with the person at the other end, you’ll end up swiping right and left for a long time. Also, don’t try to impress with a fancy name, be authentic as possible.
Don’t skip the questions
Skipping questions on the dating apps will harm your match score just like it does in the exams. Why would someone make an effort to reply to your text or pick-up line when you’re not even taking a minute to fill up those forms that ask simple questions about you.
That lame icebreaker
Don’t expect a reply if you’re sending boring variations of – hi hottie, hello there, and hie sweetheart as they’re not going to even look at it. Now, don’t go on google to search for creative icebreakers, because google is accessible to everyone. Be a little innovative, and create your version to drive them crazy.
Don’t try too hard
When they’re not replying to you, don’t bombard them with lots of messages asking why are they not responding! Take a deep breath, dude, and move on to the next profile. That person might be not interested, and there are plenty of fishes in the sea. I like betta fish, though – they’re pretty aggressive.
Yes, we have solutions too!
The right app before the right swap
Every dating app has a different purpose and people, mostly girls do a little homework before installing the apps. So first, decide what’s your purpose and what do you want from the app. Only then things will fall in place otherwise, it would look like you’re fishing in a dead sea.
Appear as impressive as possible
Like I already said, the first impression is a key in online dating, but that doesn’t mean you’ve to wear branded clothes and pose like a runaway model. Just try to appear confident, and presentable but don’t overdo anything and upload only those photos which can trigger them to swipe right.
The anecdote
Don’t dare to describe yourself with a borrowed bio or with all the things mentioning you, you and only you. Write your bio in an interesting way, and mention a few of your hobbies along with interests while focusing at least 30% on what are your expectations from the other person.
That one icebreaker
Please don’t spend too much time reading about him/her profile and trying to understand what’s her view! It’s a complete waste of time, but that doesn’t mean you’re allowed to send messages out blindly. Tailor your one icebreaker and try to play around it according to the profile.
ONLY FOR MEN
Your male friends are not going to be a great help when choosing the right pictures. Instead, try to get female feedback, and if you don’t have any female friends, ask someone who’s hardcore straightforward. Trust me, they’re the only species that gives blunt answers without any second thought.
iQOO’s latest launch, the iQOO 9 series is one of the most awaited flagship series’ in recent times, which includes 3-smartphones – iQOO 9 Pro, iQOO 9 and iQOO SE. We recently reviewed the iQOO 9 – BMW Motorsport Edition, it was one of the most stunning smartphones we reviewed recently, of course after the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
When iQOO launched iQOO 9 in India, it was available in two colours – Legend and Alpha. Yesterday, the company launched a third colour variant of the smartphone in India, dubbed Phoenix Orange. The newly introduced Phoenix colour comes with colour-changing technology, making it stand apart from the previously launched colours.
In India, we’ve already seen smartphones with colour-changing technology with the likes of the Realme 9 Pro, Realme 9 Pro+, Vivo V23 5G, and Vivo V23 Pro. The iQOO 9 Phoenix coloured variant marks the fifth smartphone in India that arrives with colour-changing technology. The new variant changes to orange colour when exposed to sunlight or other artificial UV light sources.
As per the iQOO, “The new vibrant colour of iQOO 9 is produced by a geometric craft on Frosty AG Glass. It changes colour when exposed to sunlight and other sources of artificial UV rays and transforms into different colours. The UV Rays of Sunshine changes the internal structure of glass molecules resulting in changing the existing colour to Phoenix (Orange) colour variant.”
Apart from the new colour, everything else remains the same between the new and previously launched iQOO 9 smartphones, including the price tag. The smartphone has a 6.56″ punch-hole AMOLED display, and it is powered by a Snapdragon 888+ chipset. The base model of iQOO 9 with 8GB RAM + 128GB(5G) storage is available at ₹42,990, while the 12GB+256GB(5G) variant will cost you ₹46,990.
The South Korean tech giant Samsung has partnered with Swedish–Swiss multinational corporation ABB, where the two leading giants will help in the expansion of Samsung SmartThings and its integration in more buildings, offices and homes.
ABB has expertise of over 130 years, and to date, they’ve manufactured and sold more than 5,50,000 products. The company’s ABB-free@home automation solution controls various building equipment, including access detection, communication and climate systems for residential and commercial complexes.
“With SmartThings, Samsung has been able to create an eco-system of smart appliances making homes smarter and more efficient. We are excited to build on that by partnering with ABB to expand the SmartThings experience to new customers making it easier for consumers to reduce costs and create positive environmental impact,” said Chanwoo Park, Head of IoT Business at Samsung Electronics.
The partnership aims to strengthen Samsung’s Home IoT solution in the residential and industrial construction market, combining smart domestic solutions with SmartThings for a greater advanced, cost-effective and energy-efficient solution for tracking and controlling houses and buildings.
Samsung SmartThings and ABB- free@home will develop a cloud to cloud integration which will be a smart, efficient and energy-saving solution to transform the house, office or building into an intelligent one, allowing consumers a wider control.
With Samsung’s SmartThings platform, customers can monitor and manage ABB’s portfolio of devices, like cameras, sensors and comfort structures included with SmartThings, permitting customers to access their smart home functions from anywhere with a single application.
SmartThings features a neat device control tab easily accessible from your Samsung phone’s drop-down menu. Samsung and ABB’s partnership gives a scalable, turnkey smart domestic solution with top-class Samsung appliances and ABB devices that could significantly reduce operational charges through efficiencies and predictive maintenance services.
Week-offs are designed to reduce stress and increase productivity, but how do ordinary people spend their week-offs? They stay awake till the wee hours watching a movie or web show, then sleep till the next afternoon, and have breakfast post lunchtime. Later, they head out to the malls in the evening only to get stuck in traffic or end up sleeping more, to wake up again and worry about the next day, which makes their week-offs pathetic.
Whereas the French people who are famous for their love for sleep come back home right after work, relax a little and au dodo by 10-11 PM, wake up early and spend their week-off mornings listening to relaxing music. Later in the day, they indulge in cosy activities such as reading a book in the cafe, cooking a nice meal for their loved ones, meeting a friend over famille lunch, and all those little things that make their heart happy and relaxed.
Walking Over Driving
Since the inception of smartwatches, the whole world has been trying to follow the default 10,000 steps a day format, but it’s an old ritual for the Frenchmen as walking has been an integral part of their lifestyle for ages. Even if most French people have cars at home, they prefer to walk instead of taking their cars out, as they only choose to drive when required, and the destination is not walkable.
Also, the developed cities in France or, perhaps, Europe were designed to get everything you needed for your daily life by walking around the neighbourhood, and the number of cars in France is way greater than the number of parking spaces. Adopting this habit is one of the simplest ways to integrate the French lifestyle into our daily routines, as we all know the benefits of taking a walk in the morning, to the market and stroll after dinner.
The Sacred Meal Hours
The French people are crazy about their meals and drinks like nothing else, and if you don’t believe my words, watch them while they’re drinking or having breakfast, lunch or dinner. They spend about 2 hours and 13 minutes per day eating, and they don’t regret it even once. Eating at a slow pace while enjoying every element of the food and savouring each bite is a french way to salut the food maker.
The Frenchmen usually prefer to eat fresh and delicious food as they believe it’s easier to eat slowly when your meal tastes real good. Their meals include small portions of meat, vegetables, and coffee to finish off the meal. They prefer eating food with their family or friends while listening to soothing music instead of watching television or chatting over the phone. One must adopt this habit as it allows you to sit and eat peacefully.
The Minimalist Fashion
When it comes to fashion, French people are very sophisticated and go for the most subtle clothes as they’re fond of minimalist style. The French fashion is all about effortless basic clothes with one statement piece like a scarf, a dress shirt, a hat, over a great pair of jeans and shoes. Also, they don’t like to overdo or overdress anything, especially the French girls, they genuinely hate 5 pounds of makeup.
The French believe you should prefer pleasing yourself above all and define beauty as feeling good about yourself. They see beauty in effortless and natural aesthetics. The young generation in France follows the “less is more” mantra. Being well-dressed is one of the key practices the French likes to follow as it helps them walk with confidence throughout their day. These guys are not flashy and pick neutral colours for their outfits.
Shop at Local Farms
Up till here, if you think that you can’t adopt the French lifestyle outside the big cities, then you’re mistaken. The French always crave fresh and season-based foods, which helps them in their habit of eating mindfully. They’re keen on shopping from the local farmers’ markets as it allows them to interact with local farmers and other people. Shop this way to make your shopping experience enjoyable rather than a regular chore.
The Intellectual Wealth
The simple pleasures are irreplaceable, and French people choose to embrace them. When you walk around the streets of Paris or perhaps anywhere in the French land, you’ll easily notice people reading books by the cafe, river, parks or all around the places. They’re very fond of reading books, as being well-read is essential to the French lifestyle. Though Indians are already on top in reading as we spend an average of 11 hours a week on reading.
The Art of Doing Nothing
I was freakingly good at this one, as it was part of my studies. The art of doing nothing doesn’t mean being lazy, but it’s the idea of finding pleasure in idleness. Have you heard of that quote by Lao Tzu, “doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing.” If you haven’t heard it before, you have read it now. Adopt this one into your everyday life to rescue yourself from getting burned out in the rat race.
In my experience, “dolce far niente” (doing nothing) is a highly beneficial activity, introduced by Italians, who carry it regularly, but nobody does it better than the French. However, they have a similar term, “joie de vivre” (joy of living), which they practise passionately in day-to-day life. The French are very devoted to the art of doing nothing, as it aids them to fall in love with life every day.
The Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is heavenly popular in developed and developing countries, but nobody follows it in real-life scenarios. Statistically, people living in these countries constantly talk about work, except the French. It’s just not in their culture to talk about work outside the workspace, no doubt they’ve only 35 hours of the work-week. Besides fewer work hours, they also get five weeks of paid time off for vacations and have a life.
The Frenchmen never discuss work at a dinner table and when they’re chilling with friends even though they spend a lot of time eating and drinking. The Belgian guy told me the French sit together for hours but never care to ask where the other fellows work or what kind of work they do? as they’re culturally bound to not discuss such things while eating. Adopt this one in your life and focus on meaningful conversations at the dinner table.
Je ne sais quoi Over Anything
The French are recognised due to their different approach toward life and style of living. They’re always in favour of je ne sais quoi, be it food, drink, clothing, skincare, or home decor, which drives the rest of the world towards their culture. The people in France believe that less is more and one should own only those things that bring joy in life. It is the sole reason they go after high-quality items, which keeps them elevated in life.
Spend A Day Like You’re French
The reason behind most of life’s struggle is you’ve almost zero expertise in saying no, or you were perhaps born in a place where saying no is considered an insult or you’re a part of a generation where FOMO haunts. The world never forgets to describe the French people as a rude, cold and arrogant breed, but the truth is they’re good at maintaining boundaries and their raw culture.
Now, tell me, are you happy with your mundane routine? Well, being a part of the rat race, most of us are not, and even if you’re, what’s the harm in following a different lifestyle for a day. Be prepared, and this weekend give it a shot and try to spend a day like a French and note down what changes it brings to your life. I’m telling you, it has more benefits than you would ever have thought.
Let me help you with what a day looks like in a French lifestyle. First of all, they breathe discretion and stay low key as much as possible, the total opposite of the world that follows the American culture of always staying in the limelight, chasing the meat. The French have a natural talent to turn most boring things into poetic works of art with a little more mindfulness in the activity.
Being a newbie, let’s start with your normal routine (a week-off is better) but wake up a little early to enjoy every essence of life. Take a shower with skincare ingredients that smell wonderful, and slow down a little while sipping your morning tea/coffee. Listen to some serene music while wearing the dress that has a timeless silhouette in a neutral tone and while heading out, try to walk like a flaneur.
Walk into a cafe, take a few minutes to soak yourself and place your order as the french do, un cafe s’il vous plait. I know you can’t go all poetic in one day, but being polite has its magic. Slow down – enjoy every sip of the coffee and the surroundings while staying calm and composed. I’m telling you, if you follow this throughout the day, by the evening, you’ll fall in love with this cosy routine because c‘est la vie, and the French know it better.
The month of February 2022 is undoubtedly going down in history as a month of smartphone launches. We’ve witnessed many launches during the month, except for Apple iPhones, which came a little late to the party. Who cares? Especially when you’ve Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in your hand – a perfect blend of Galaxy S Ultra and Galaxy Note Ultra.
The new-age smartphone from Samsung arrives in a black cardboard box that’s now even smaller than before, which kind of makes you think about iPhone packaging. Oh, have I mentioned anything about the S-Pen yet? Of course not. Well, the company has successfully managed to fit the S-Pen entirely into the device itself.
First Impression
They say the first impression is the last impression, and Samsung took it very seriously. To be honest, this is the perfect smartphone I have ever held in recent times. It has premium looks, and even a single glance is enough to predict the price. However, after two weeks of use, I understood that the saying nobody is perfect could be applied here.
Design & Display
I’ve already mentioned above that the Galaxy S22 ultra is a crossover of two old flagship models, but the sharp and squared-off angles make it appear as a stunning device. The smartphones ship in four colours – Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green and Burgundy. The only thing I would like to appreciate about this device’s design is its camera module.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a metal and glass slab with sharp corners, but no worries, the rounded side edges will save the game. The S22 Ultra boasts a power button and a volume rocker on the right, advertised as made from recycled fishing nets. The front glass of the smartphone has high-gloss and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, while the back is covered with a satin finish.
The flagship smartphones from Samsung are always loved for their classic displays and the same proceeds to the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The S22 Ultra has a sharp, bright, colour-rich and ideal for outdoor viewing display, probably the best in the current smartphone world. The 6.8-inch AMOLED display of the S22 Ultra has rounded side edges and has a 120Hz refresh rate.
Build Quality
The phone is massive (dimensions – 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm) and takes you back to its NOTE roots but weighs about 230 gms, making it lighter than Apple’s flagship devices. The flat surfaces of both sides wrap the device like a sandwich. Overall, the build quality of the S22 Ultra is superb, but with curved edges like this, it’s going to be an uncomfortable ride for the first few days.
Camera
When it comes to S22 Ultra’s camera, indeed Samsung has plans for overtaking the camera legacy of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and Google Pixel 6 Pro. The camera module appears similar to the S21 Ultra, but it’s completely different, thanks to the processor. The S22 Ultra has a 40-MP selfie camera that supports dual video calls and offers 4K video quality at 30/60fps and 1080p@30fps.
On the rear, the phone has a 12-MP ultra-wide camera, 108-MP wide-angle camera, and two telephoto cameras with 10-megapixels, one with 3X optical zoom and another with 10X optical zoom. The smartphone offers better low-light photos, 4x faster multi-frame processing, and an AI-boosted portrait mode. The nightography camera of the S22 Ultra is advertised as Samsung’s best innovation yet.
S-Pen
The S-Pen acts as a smartpen, pull it out, and the phone will automatically launch the Notes app. The S-Pen is an active one and has its battery, gyro, accelerometer and Bluetooth connectivity for communicating with the phone. The Smart select option of the S-Pen allows you to take differently shaped screenshots, which you can use to create short GIF animations.
Chipset & Performance
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the first smartphones that get the latest flagship SoC from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The device runs on Android 12 with OneUI on top and a 4nm chip that promises better CPU and graphics performance. The smartphone arrives with 12GB of RAM, and for storage, it has in 3-options, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB.
I’ve been using iPhone 13 Pro Max as my primary device for the last few months, and I’m not ashamed to say that the Galaxy S22 Ultra felt faster than it and completely outperforms Apple’s latest flagship phone. The smartphone offers fantastic gameplay with high graphics games such as Call of Duty Mobile without a single hiccup.
Battery
A 5,000mAh battery powers the S22 Ultra, but the phone comes with an FHD+ resolution with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, which makes the chances of decreasing the battery life relatively high. Of course, with out-of-the-box settings and an average of 6.5 hours of screen-on time, the device can smoothly run for a day and spare a little juice (about 25% to 35%) for another one.
Verdict
The Galaxy S22 Ultra has no single competition in the current market, and no other smartphone has the guts to tick off the boxes that S22 Ultra accomplishes. The phone is packed with the latest processor, brightest smartphone display, the highest megapixel camera, and the built-in S Pen, making the S22 Ultra superior in every section. So, if you’ve loads of money, I’ve three words for you – GO FOR IT!
We’re not the average of five people we spend the most time with, but we’re what we listen to and feed to our minds. Let me put it in a simple way by asking you a few questions. Why do lots of people struggle to get over a breakup? What do we do when we start to like someone? What do we prefer to do while commuting long routes? What do we do when we’re not able to sleep? We listen to the songs.
I agree we all need a little entertainment regularly, and there’s no damage in listening to the songs, only if you’re in control because songs and music can lead you anywhere. They have the power to change the whole perspective of your day or, perhaps, your entire week. However, after a specific time, you’ll get bored of that song you have been listening to for the last few weeks, ain’t it right?
In contrast, podcasts are immensely educational and add more knowledge to your life. Now, some of you will ask, what about the entertainment part? Don’t worry, buddy – they’re entertaining as well. I was the guy who used to wear earphones all the time (on and off, doesn’t matter), mainly to avoid human interaction, and then one fine morning, Spotify updated me about the hours I’ve spent listening to the songs.
At first, I was shocked but, fortunately, that happened a few weeks before the new year, and slowly-steadily I moved on from songs to podcasts. Yes, that knack to avoid human interaction stays the same, we’ll discuss it someday. I’m a big-time fan of storytelling and was looking for one when Spotify recommended me “Death, Lies and Cyanide” by Indian Journalist Sashi Kumar.
I listened to the above podcast in one go and was thrilled to know why people were so addicted to radio shows back in the century. Since my first podcast, I’ve listened to several others, and I’ve been working hard on lowering my music intake. What you want to listen to is ultimately a matter of personal preference as both podcasts and songs are designed for a specific audience in mind.
Okay, let’s see the benefits!
A certain song that appears randomly on your music app or radio can put you in a spot where you might feel an urge to recollect those memories or re-read those chats connected to that one song. Whereas in the case of podcasts, they only offer solutions and thoughts that provoke you to do something in life. Also, they don’t sink you after a while as they come in various genres and offer versatility.
The term podcast is a combination of two words – pod + broadcasting, and it is a relatively new phenomenon in India. Yet, it is getting popular rapidly, thanks to the pandemic and a few popular YouTubers who decided to come up with podcasts that offer entertainment and knowledge at the same time. A typical podcast usually ranges from 10 minutes to 2 hours and consists of episodes that make us cling to them.
Podcasts are perfect for mindless chores as they offer almost everything you want, such as from soothing sounds of meditation to heart-pounding true crime stories. Whenever you listen to narrative podcasts, it stimulates multiple parts of your brain and activates your auditory cortex, which ultimately helps you boost the feelings of trust, compassion, empathy and building relationships.
I’m a sucker for crime stories, as they trigger the production of dopamine and serotonin, which are happy hormones, and they also help improve your mental concentration. I started listening to this podcast named “Serial Killings: A Podcast”, and it helped me know more about how a person grows from a normal human being to a killer and understand their overall thought process.
We all know laughter is the best medicine for almost everything, and that’s why comedy is one of the most popular genres in nearly every sector, be it movies, web shows or even podcasts. Every time we listen to comedy podcasts, it activates our frontal lobe and cerebral cortex, which triggers things like laughter, surprise and delight. Comedy podcasts are best known as stress busters, as they help you cure the stress in no time.
A number of Indian stand-up comedians have started their podcasts on various platforms where they elaborate on common topics and give the podcast a more conversational angle. Amongst Indian comedy podcasts, No New Notifications by Kanan & Manek, Simple Ken by Kenny Sabastian, The Overthink Tank by Surbhi Bagga and The Internet Said So by Varun Thakur are the podcasts that could make your day anytime.
Along with comedy, educational and personal growth podcasts are gaining a considerable audience lately. Woice with Warikoo by Ankur Warikoo, The Ranveer Show by Ranveer Allahbadia, Simmy Said Whatt? by Simmy Goraya and On Purpose with Jay Shetty are some of the top podcasts in these genres. Besides the above mentioned popular genres, there are hundreds of other genres, and they all have different impacts on our brains.
Nowadays, all types of Podcasts are gaining popularity as they’re available for free listening on most popular platforms, which sets them apart from the music as you don’t have to encounter commercial breaks. Over the last few months, I’ve managed to get over my music addiction, and I’m not regretting it. Well, off we go now, as I can’t wait to see where this podcast love takes me!
Being a frequent traveller, I’ve learned road trips are not about how quickly you reach your destination, but it’s all about how much you enjoy the journey while heading towards your goal. All you need is a road trip when life hits hard because it will help you focus on the way ahead and help you realise that every exit takes you to an entrance somewhere else. The time has arrived when you must look at life through the windshield, and to help you, we’ve jotted down the top 16 incredible roads in the world for you to take in 2022.
Kolkata to Kumaon
Distance: 1600 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to February
The Route: Kolkata→ Varanasi→ Lucknow→ Nainital→ Pithoragarh→ Munsiyari
A road trip from Kolkata to Kumaon is considered one of India’s unique road trips as it takes you on a journey to witness the plains and uphills altogether in one trip. On the first day of the trip, you can seize the longest and the most challenging leg of the entire road trip, which takes you to the holy city of Varanasi. You can start your day two by taking a dip into the River Ganges and head further towards the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow.
Spend a day by visiting the famous tourist attractions in the city of Nawab’s and head towards Bhimtal, which is on the foothills of the Kumaon mountains. The final leg of the road trip will take you on the challenging ride up the hills of Kumaon, from Nainital to Pithoragarh and at the end to Munsiyari, a paradise for travel enthusiasts. Visit the stunning places around Munsiyari, such as Thamari and Maheshwari lake or go on a hike to the glaciers of Ralam and Milam.
Mumbai to Rann Of Kutch
Distance: 950 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to February
The Route: Mumbai→ Ankleshwar→ Vadodara→ Bhuj→ Rann of Kutch
People living in metro cities of India are always looking for a quiet place, especially Mumbaikars, who can’t even imagine living peacefully in the middle of their dream. We all need a little peace of mind to function well in a fast-moving world, and the Rann of Kutch is the best destination to bring back peace in your life. On the way to Rann of Kutch, your first pit stop would be Ankleshwar, a small town 10kms away from the Bharuch district of Gujarat, famous for a Golden Bridge, a British era bridge constructed between 1877-1881.
You can stay for a day or two in Vadodara, exploring its beautiful streets, royal paces and plethora of temples. Take an early morning drive to Bhuj and experience the beauty of ruins like Aina Mahal, Prag Mahal, and Rani Mahal. The final destination of a road trip from Mumbai to Rann of Kutch would make you think how barren landscapes can be so mesmerising? The salt desert looks beautiful when it reflects the moonlight at night. Also, don’t forget to buy embroidered bedsheets, carpets, clothes, sarees, and jackets to treasure the trip winks.
Munnar is the most picturesque destination in South India, thanks to the surrounding hills and tea plantations, making the place popular amongst the British officers during the 19th century and now for everyone looking for the elegant beauty of nature. Bangalore to Munnar road trip via Mysore can be a pleasant one even during a monsoon season, but only if you’re comfortable taking a ride in the middle of rains. The first stopover on this route would be Mysore, a city known for its palace, sweets and highway restaurants.
The next major stop on this route would be Ooty, which would demand an enormous level of patience as when you leave Mysore and get back on the road to Ooty, you’d witness heavy traffic, full of numerous trucks and buses. However, you’ll not regret it, thanks to the abundant natural beauty of the place. Spend a day in Ooty to enjoy beautiful lakes, waterfalls, the famous Nilgiri railway ride and head to the final destination, Munnar, which will tempt you with its greenery and take away all the exhaustion from your body, mind and soul.
Srinagar to Leh via Zoji La Pass
Distance: 420 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: April to July
The Route: Srinagar → Sonamarg → Kargil → Leh
Srinagar and Leh are two of the most famous dream destinations for road lovers, and covering these two in one go is like feeding two birds with one seed. Srinagar To Leh via Zoji La Pass is the best alternative for going to Leh compared to the Manali-Leh road, as it remains drivable for a longer time. The 420-Km road doesn’t offer the regular bushes and forests we see on familiar Indian roads, instead, it presents thrilling passes, mesmerizing mountains, and picturesque valleys.
The Zoji La Pass is one of the world’s most dangerous mountain roads. The pass is a part of National Highway 1 (NH1), which offers stunning views of the valley and heart-stopping arches. The 25.8 km long pass consists of unpaved roads, is the gateway to the majestic Ladakh, but indeed not recommended for Sunday drivers. The route runs through the famous war town of India, Kargil, where you can stop for sightseeing before heading towards your final destination Leh.
Jaipur to Daman
Distance: 1000 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to February
The Route: Jaipur→ Udaipur→ Ahmedabad→ Vadodara→ Daman
“Thelma & Louise” and “Y Tu Mamá También” are two of the most popular films on road trips, and if you ever feel like recreating these two road trips in India, then you should consider taking a drive from Jaipur to Daman. The journey starts from the capital city of Rajasthan, Jaipur, and till you reach Ahmedabad, you’ll witness vast deserts and grainy yellow sands, just like Utah from Thelma & Louise. After the first half of the trip, when you’re headed towards the beach town of Daman, you’ll catch Y Tu Mamá También vibes.
Jaipur is constantly flooded with tourists, and if you’re a Jaipurian who’s exhausted with all the local sites, then take out that car from your garage and drive down to Daman via Ahmedabad. Explore the city of lakes, Udaipur, which is more peaceful than busy Jaipur and head to Ahmedabad. Spend a day visiting the local diamond cutting shops and have some mouth-watering snacks to satisfy your taste buds. Take a leave from Ahmedabad and head to Daman to enjoy the tranquil beach life you’ve ever desired.
Guwahati to Tawang
Distance: 450 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: September to March
The Route: Guwahati → Tezpur→ Bhalukpong→ Dirang→ Tawang
After Kashmir, the North-East region of India deserves to be called heaven on earth, and even a madman will not say no to the road trip from Gangtok to Tawang. The 450-Km long stretch consists of ancient Buddhist monasteries, mighty landscapes, stunning lakes, and high mountain passes. The unique and adventurous trip is for those who like to go offroad and explore offbeat places but make sure you obtain an Inner Line Permit before entering the region. Arrive a day before in Guwahati, get your body acclimated to the cooler weather, and then begin your road trip.
The first destination on this route would be Tezpur, a city located on the banks of the river Brahmaputra. Halt for a day in the cultural capital of Assam and explore the tourist places such as Cole Park, Bamuni Hills and Kalia Bhomora Setu. On the next day, leave early in the morning as your next stopover- Bhalukpong has a lot to offer, as it is the dawn of scenic vistas of Arunachal Pradesh. The Bhalukpong to Tawang road, which consists of towns like Bomdila and Dirang, will keep you engaged with its beautiful hills and valleys.
Delhi to Jaisalmer
Distance: 800 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: November to February
The Route: Delhi→ Jaipur→ Ajmer→ Jodhpur → Pokhran → Jaisalmer
The road trip from the capital city of India, Delhi, to the Golden City, Jaisalmer, allows you to explore a number of stunning places and helps you get an experience of a lifetime. One should avoid taking this route or this trip during summers as these regions are one of the hottest zones in India but happen to be one of the best routes during winters due to their major attractions. The first stopover on this road trip would be Jaipur, where you stay for a day to explore the famous spots like the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort.
Leave Jaipur early in the morning and stop at Ajmer Sharif Dargah – the tomb of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, visited by millions of pilgrims every year. The next pitstop for the day could be Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur, known for its beautiful architecture. Spend a night in Jodhpur, wandering the local markets, enjoying the starry view from the fort, and head towards the Pokhran to visit Salim Singh Ki Haveli and Pokhran Museum. The trip’s final destination, Jaisalmer, will amaze you with its fort, which has incredible yellowstone architecture and Longewala War Memorial close to the Pakistan border.
Hyderabad to Kannur
Distance: 900 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: November to April
The Route: Hyderabad→ Hampi→ Kannur
It will be unfair if a place from God’s Own Country isn’t included in the top 10 incredible roads list. A road trip from Hyderabad to Kannur via NH167 takes you from the ancient history of the Nizams to Hampi, the medieval Hindu kingdom of the Vijayanagara Empire and at the end to the Manchester of Kerala, Kannur. Once you commence the journey from Hyderabad, stay on the road till the next 380-Km, and you’ll enter into the ancient Hindu Empire. Though all you can see are ruins, they have their own beauty, only if you have eyes for the same.
Spend a few days in Hampi and explore the famous spots such as Matanga Hill, Virupaksha Temple, Elephant Stables, Lotus Mahal, and Hippie Island by driving down the road, cycling or walking. Next up on the itinerary is Kannur, a city of looms and lores. Head to Kannur, and you’ll witness the exact opposite of what you have seen in Hampi. Kannur is a coastal city often called the crown of Kerala due to its natural treasures and is also known for its handloom industry and folk art called Theyyam. The beaches and backwaters of Kannur are a pleasant sight, and you’ll soon lose the soreness caused by the Hampi ruins.
Visakhapatnam to Pondicherry
Distance: 950 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to March
The Route: Visakhapatnam→ Guntur→ Ongole→ Nellore→ Pondicherry
When water bodies from three sides surround a country, it indeed creates a great chance of having scenic roads that run along the sea, and being a peninsula country, we have a few such roads in our quiver. Mumbai to Goa is one of India’s most-travelled and famous coastal roads, thanks to several Bollywood movies that were shot on this route, but the east coast of India also offers some of the best scenic roadside attractions, and the port city of Visakhapatnam is the Jewel of the East Coast.
The 950-Km route takes you from Vizag – a place of many scenic beaches and drops you at the ex-French colonial settlement where you can explore the preserved French legacy with tree-lined streets, mustard-coloured colonial villas and chic boutiques. Pondicherry is a vibrant city located on the south-eastern coast of India and offers a plethora of things to do and see. A drive from Visakhapatnam to Pondicherry would be a pleasant journey, and you’ll not regret the decision of taking your car out on this route.
Old Silk Route
Distance: 350 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to March
The Route: Siliguri → Reshi→ Old Silk Route→ Zuluk→ Gnathang→ Sillery
Hotel Belvédère is the iconic Swiss Hotel on the edge of the Rhone Glacier and perhaps one of the most photographed hotels in the world due to its location. In India, we don’t have such a hotel lying lonely on the beautiful edge of the road, but fortunately, we have a similar route, and it is called the Old Silk Route. The ancient hilly road is a rare confluence of natural beauty and used to play a significant role in cross-country trades and cultural exchanges between the Western and Oriental civilizations.
The route used to connect Lhasa in Tibet via the Jelep La Pass to India, and outlying, it used to connect China and other South Asian countries to the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Nowadays, only a tiny part of this route exists in India, in East Sikkim and West Bengal. The Old Silk Route is only a 70-Km long journey, but you must arrive at Siliguri to reach the place. Further, you’ll have to reach Reshi and then drive to Old Silk Route, where you can visit Jelep La Pass, Kupup & Memencho Lake. Later on, you can take the Zuluk→ Gnathang→ Sillery route to reach Siliguri.
